In a scathing editorial, the Long Beach Press-Telegram is telling people to vote no on Measure R, the LA County ballot initiative that will raise the sales tax one half-cent in order to raise $40 billion over 30 years for transportation projects. Complaining that Southeastern LA County will not get much, if any, of the funding (did they even speak up like the San Gabriel Valley did?) and focusing their attention on West LA commuters......

For those who have been following Assembly Bill 2321, you can take a breath of relief. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law yesterday afternoon, allowing Metro to place a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on this November's ballot. It will take a 2/3rds vote to pass and if it does, it could raise $30-40 billion in funding for transportation projects over the next 30 years. On the ballot, it is known as Measure......

Metro was forced to take down the Measure R website after complaints that they should not be advocating for a ballot measure with taxpayer money. Measure R would raise LA County's sales tax by a half-cent to raise an estimated $30-40 billion for transportation projects such as the "subway to the sea" over the next 30 years. But shortly after an article appeared on LATimes.com stating website removal, it seems Metro has relaunched the......

Political consultant Ace Smith, who has worked for Mayor Villaraigosa and ran Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign in several states including California, has been hired to run the campaign for Measure R, which will raise LA County's sales tax by a half-penny to pay for transportation projects if passed by voters in November. Steve Hymon at LA Times' Bottleneck Blog did a mini-interview with Smith. "What will the campaign look like?" he asked. "I think the......

Photo by [Kwasi B.] via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr If you've been following state Assembly Bill 2321, which simply allows Metro to place a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on this November's ballot, it's been a long, long summer. Damien Newton at Streetsblog LA says bill author Mike Feuer's office is confident it will pass. "...the Governor has thirty days, until 11:59 P.M. on Tuesday, September 30, to veto the legislation or Measure......

With one more step to go until the half-cent sales tax increase proposal goes on the November ballot, Metro has launched an extensive website to inform the public what a "yes" vote would mean: "Measure R is a half-cent sales tax increase that will provide the local resources to finance new transportation projects and accelerate those already in the pipeline. Over 30 years, it is expected to generate $40 billion for countywide congestion relief......

Even though it is Labor Day weekend and the state has entered into a historic period without a budget, good news came Sunday for public transportation advocates and well-wishers. AB2321, the bill that would allow Metro to put a half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot that could raise $30-40 billion for transportation projects over the next 30 years, took another critical step: the state Assembly passed it. That means two more steps until......

For those of you following AB 2321, a state assembly bill that would allow Metro to put a proposed half-cent sales tax increase on November's ballot (they say it could raise $30-40 billion dollars over 30 years), it passed out of the state senate this afternoon, according to Steve Hymon at the Bottleneck Blog. That means there are three more steps to go for a large increase for public transit funding in Los Angeles: 1)......

Metro has their half-cent sales tax increase proposal working its way through the capitol, but Schwarzenegger has his own sales tax increase he officially announced yesterday within a large budget compromise. Here's one part of his plan to fix the $15 plus billion budget: "A temporary 1-cent sales tax increase for three years (excluding diesel, gasoline and jet fuel) followed by a permanent 1¼-cent reduction beginning in year 4. The additional ¼-cent reduction would be......

Photo by Salaam Allah West Coast Transitphotography KING! via Flickr A huge hurdle has been cleared so that a half-cent sales tax increase proposal can be on November's ballot. Yesterday afternoon, a state Senate committee approved the bill that allows LA County to ask for the tax hike. If it makes it there and is approved by voters, it could raise $30 to $40 billion a year over the next 30 years for public......

State Senator Jenny Oropeza represents coastal areas, including LAX, and also sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee that's currently deciding the fate of AB 2321 which will allow a measure asking the people to vote on a sales tax increase that would go towards transportation, mostly public transit projects like the "Subway to the Sea" and a Green Line extension to LAX. The airport extension is in the plan, but not written into the state......

It's amazing that it's so hard to allow the people of Los Angeles County to choose their own fate when it comes to taxes and public transportation. Two locally elected bodies have already given the go ahead (albeit a fight with one of them) to put a measure on November's ballot that will ask us residents if the sales tax should be kicked up a half-penny to raise $30 to $40 billion worth of......

What a week. As we wait for state politicians to decide if a sales tax transportation increase can be put on the ballot for voters to decide, the LA County Board of Supervisors are going to revisit their decision of putting it on the general ballot or a separate, confusing and costly one. Don Knabe, who voted not to support the measure on Tuesday has changed his mind. That doesn't mean he's all for the......

County Supervisor Michael Antonovich responded early this evening to Mayor Villaraigosa's letter from yesterday that urged a reverse vote to put a sales tax increase for transit funding on the November ballot. The increase could raise $30 to $40 billion for the county in 30 years, all dedicated to transit, but mostly public transit (and it could still make the ballot if state politicians pass a bill allowing voters to authorize a tax, albeit......

Forget the LA County Board of Supervisors for a moment and listen to this: Gov. Schwarzenegger just made an ultimatum with state legislators: "Until the Legislature passes a budget that I can sign, I will not sign any bills that reach my desk," he said in a press conference this afternoon. What does that mean for a struggling bill called AB2321, which would allow a measure to go on the ballot in November asking residents......

Photo by Ensie via Flickr The LA County Board of Supervisors voted not to put Metro's proposed half-cent sales tax increase that would raise $30 to $40 billion towards mostly public transit projects on the ballot in November. It could still be voted on, just via a separate (and confusing) ballot process (as Steve Hymon notes, remember Super Tuesday's "double bubble" trouble?). And it would cost millions. "Either the taxpayers will be stuck with......

Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr The half-cent sales tax increase that is projected to bring in $30 to $40 billion over the next 30 years and has been a focus for Metro in getting the proposal on November's ballot has been an long and stressful journey. Today did not help. In an unexpected move that was a 3-2 vote, the LA County Board of Supervisors rejected putting the sales tax increase on November's......

LA County residents have been hearing all about a half-cent sales tax increase that we could be voting on in November at the ballot. It's a big could, depending on a state committee, but if it goes through and passed by voters, Metro would get an extra $30 to $40 billion over the next 30 years for transportation projects ("Subway to the Sea" being one of them). But today, to fix the state deficit, Gov.......

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......

Today is the regularly scheduled Metro Board meeting. But there's nothing regular about it. Two very important measures that could give long lasting positive changes to public transit are up for a vote: an increase of the county's sales tax to raise money for projects like the "Subway to the Sea" and the long range transportation plan which would give the region a vision to work towards. The sales tax increase, which has a lot......

As gas prices rise and government coffers tighten, the city of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus service is asking for Santa Monican's and the public-at-large's help for an issue that reaches far beyond the oceanside city's boundaries. The state is planning cuts to the transportation budget, something that already resembles swiss cheese. If passed, the proposal would wipe out 50% of transit funds by diverting half of gasoline sales tax to the general budget in......

Even if it means using two gallons of gas while waiting in lines at the border, a new trend of filling up your tank in Mexico is worth it for those who have SUVs and trucks. Regular gas costs $2.54 a gallon at Pemex stations in Tijuana compared to San Diego, where it's over one-dollar higher at $4.624. Then you've got diesel at $2.20 in Tijuana vs. $5.04 in San Diego. However, one problem does......

Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr As an assembly bill that would enable Metro to put a half-cent sales tax increase on November's ballot makes its way towards the state Senate this month, a report released from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) said that such an increase would only cost people $25 extra per year (if the sales tax rate goes up, it will go from 8.25% to 8.75%, "translating to......

As explained yesterday on why California has the highest gas prices in the nation, next to Alaska, stringent pollution requirements and high taxes were the main reasons. This California Energy Commission has a chart (click here to enlarge) explaining the history of gas tax increases and where they're at now, which is $0.378 between state and federal taxes. But that's not all, there's the sales tax and the gas production increase for companies to stay......

Funding is the hurdle for good public transportation projects in Los Angeles. A bill that is currently making its way through the state legislature would allow Metro to then vote on a proposal to increase LA County's sale tax. And all signs for Metro approving it seem to be a "go." Then, a third voting party would have to approve it: voters, who would see it on the November ballot. The business community is starting......

LA County's sales tax is already one of the highest in the state, but in the name of fixing this traffic and transportation problem (in which money seems to be the cure, according to some), Los Angeles based state assemblyman Mike Feuer has gotten his legislation, AB 2321, passed. It allows the Metro Board to place a proposal on November's ballot asking voters to raise the sales tax by a half-cent. "That would take the......

After questioning 1200 Los Angeles County residents in a survey, Metro might be confident it could get the two-thirds stamp of approval from voters if such a measure went to the ballot. If passed, it could generate $4.5 billion within 6 1/2 years, according to an investigation by the Daily News. That amount is nearly enough to pay for the 'Subway to the Sea' Purple Line extension. But unless county residents as far as......