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Transit Tax Officially Wins, Time to Start Laying Track

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

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Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr

Although it was predicted to win the day after the election, Measure R, the half-cent tax increase that is expected to raise $30 to $40 billion over the next 30 years for transit projects, finally passed today with 100% of the votes tallied.

It won by 27,000 votes, which was slim for a ballot measure that required two-thirds to pass it. The final tally is Yes) 2,039,214 votes, 67.93%, No) 962,569 votes, 32.07%.

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The project will partially fund the "subway to the sea," that is, if the Metro Board approves the project in the upcoming months. They will choose between two alignments. One will run subway lines down Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards meeting up near Century City and continuing west toward UCLA and possibly beyond. The other would run solely down Wilshire Blvd. from downtown towards the sea.

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