Villaraigosa Back in Washington D.C. for Public Transit Funding

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made his way back to the U.S. Capitol today to testify before a congressional subcommittee on securing billions in funding for regional public transportation projects. It's the fourth trip so far on the sole topic.

The Mayor's 30/10 Plan would build 12 transit projects in 10 years instead of 30, which is the current schedule under the voter-approved Measure R sales tax increase. To achieve that goal, Villaraigosa is seeking full funding upfront from the federal government with a guarantee of paying it back.

"We're not only arguing for infrastructure investment on the federal level," Villaraigosa said to a group of House Ways & Means Committee members in regards to establishing a National Infrastructure Bank, according to Streetsblog Capitol Hill. "We're saying ... at a time of spiraling deficits, we've got to encourage local governments to put up their own money. We have done that [in L.A.]."