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Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr
Metro has voted to ask LA County residents on the November ballot on whether or not to raise the sales tax a half-penny for transit projects. However, the state has still not fully finished their process enabling the sales tax to be raised,
That's why local state Assemblyman Mike Feuer has been working extremely hard on his bill, AB 2321, which would officially authorize Metro "to place a 1/2 cent sales tax increase on the November ballot to fund numerous projects, including a westward extension of the subway, the completion of the Exposition light rail line to Santa Monica, adding north/south routing to the Valley's Orange Line busway, and other crucial improvements from the San Gabriel Valley to LAX," explained Feuer in an e-mail yesterday to the community. "The MTA cannot place this measure before the voters unless AB 2321 is signed into law, so passing the bill is exceptionally important."
In order to get this passed, legislators from Northern California may need some prodding. Senator Sheila Kuehl and Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, both local to Los Angeles and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, deserve a thanks for their strong support of the bill. But committee chair, Senator Tom Torlakson (Antioch), and members Sen. Ellen Corbett (San Leandro), Sen. Joe Simitian (Palo Alto), Sen. Leland Yee (San Francisco/San Mateo) all could use vocal support from Californians asking them to vote for (or not, if you disagree with idea) the measure.
Their meeting is on August 4 and if AB 2321 doesn't pass out of committee, Feuer, among many others, believe that the chances for an improved public transit funding in Los Angeles will be extremely tough.
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Wilshire/Normandie Purple Line station.
OK, I don't get it!
They need to pass a bill to put another bill on the ballot?
I thought all you needed is signatures. This seems overly red tape-ish.
I'll gladly vote for the $.005 sales tax, but they better stipulate, "ringfence the funding", so you don't have everyone and their dog "borrowing" it every time there's a budget crisis.
I'd be very surprised if Torlakson was opposed to the Feuer bill. I've known the Senator since he was an Assemblyman, and he has always been a strong supporter of public transportation.
To answer the question that jrb asked: Metro, being a "special district agency", lacks the legal authority to, on its own, place such measures on the ballot. They not only need the state legislation giving them the authority, but the rubberstamping of the County Board of Supervisors to actually get onto the ballot.
The good news (which should reassure you) is that this would be a local sales tax and therefore not subject to raiding by the State every time there is a budget shortfall. In fact, the Feuer bill specifies the projects this tax can be used for, so the voters can see what they're being asked to pay for.
My organization, Southern California Transit Advocates (http://www.socata.net) will be doing all it can to help this measure pass, and we hope the public will side with us.
Thank you Kymberleigh!