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Villaraigosa Happy with Measure R Report... Obviously
The Gold Line pulls into the Memorial Park Station in Pasadena | Photo by Alberto Cueto via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
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The Gold Line pulls into the Memorial Park Station in Pasadena | Photo by Alberto Cueto via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last week stood behind an independent study on the local economy and job force affects of the transportation sales tax approved by voters in 2008. “When the voters of Los Angeles County decided to tax themselves through Measure R, they put in motion a vision for better transit, green job creation, and clean air," he said.
The study published by the non-profit L.A. County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) was a good boost for Villaraigosa's 30/10 Plan, which accelerates 30 years of transportation projects into 10. In all, 12 or the many Measure R projects would be completed.
The study concluded that Measure R could create 500,000 jobs and $68.8 billion in economic output. "We can realize 165,000 of them in the next ten years," noted Villaraigosa. "In light of the recession, unemployment, and deteriorating budget, we can’t get those jobs fast enough."
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And in that light, he's gained a strong and varied coalition of supporters:
- American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Los Angeles
- County Chapter
- American Jewish Committee (AJC)
- American Lung Association
- Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic (FAST)
- Las Virgines-Malibu Council of Governments
- Los Angeles / Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council
- Los Angeles Business Council (LABC)
- Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed)
- Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
- Los Angeles Times (via Editorial “30/10 Does the Job” 3/19/2010)
- Move Los Angeles
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
- Sierra Club Los Angeles Chapter
- Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA)
Other behind the Mayor include Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
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