Another Reason we have Traffic

Photo by Pro-Zak via Flickr

It's 11:45 a.m. and City Council is in session getting ready to vote on an item supporting Metro's proposed half-cent sales tax for transportation projects. Their vote would also tell Metro which projects are priorities for the city, including the possibility of a downtown streetcar and getting the Green Line to actually hit LAX.

Councilman Jose Huizar spoke up to get some clarification on projects within the city. "Is there anybody from the Department of Transportation today?" No one from the audience answers. "We're voting on a major item here today asking voters to give us billions of dollars and I'd like to feel informed about what's happening in the city's transportation. Is no one here?"

No, the city's very own Transportation agency was not there to answer questions and communicate with the people and City Council. But Metro, a separate agency from the city, was present.

Update: Later, Councilman Richard Alarcon, in the midst of a rant against Metro, blurts out "we can't even get our own DOT here for a half hour!"