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Southern California Transit Advocates is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, development and improvement of public transportation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
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SO.CA.TA supports package of transportation bills by Assemblymember Feuer
Statement to Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) in support of his package of six bills that would provide various means of raising money for transportation projects. Southern California Transit Advocates would like to express our strong support for your transportation-related legislation. Your efforts to go beyond the usual options for financing of transportation projects in the Los Angeles region and statewide is to be commended, and we appreciate your realizing that the state’s economy is driven by transportation. We would like to address each of your bills separately: As a Los Angeles-based organization, we support AB 2321, which would give the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) the ability to place a sales tax measure on the ballot to fund an extensive list of transportation projects. We believe that Metro has many essential projects ready to begin once funding can be identified, and this measure has the potential to create a significant amount of revenue that can be thus used. We further support ACA 10, to lower the voter threshold from 66-2/3% to 55% for the issuance of transportation bonds. We have long felt that a small minority has unfairly exercised its veto power to hinder progress and this constitutional amendment will allow the majority to be able to move projects forward. We also support AB 2558, to allow Metro to place before the voters a regional carbon emissions fee, noting that the revenue generated will go toward relieving the congestion created by those who choose to own automobiles in the region. This bill ensures that those who are creating the problem will also help pay for its solution. Similarly, we support AB 2388, to support statewide surcharges on vehicle registration for passenger vehicles based on vehicle weight and CO2 emissions, to fund projects with the potential to alleviate the effects of congestion. In addition, we support AB 1836 to make it easier to create infrastructure financing districts and allow the allocation of tax revenues to projects that will benefit those living and working in those districts. We believe this is an excellent way of funding important infrastructure without having to increase the tax burden of those who would benefit most. Finally, we believe that the task force recommended in AB 1815 is long overdue, as it has become obvious that gasoline tax revenues cannot adequately fund all that is needed for our state’s transportation needs, and we strongly support this bill as well. The executive board and membership of Southern California Transit Advocates has voted unanimously to support this vital legislation. It is obvious to us that the continuing growth in the Los Angeles region demands that steps be taken before the region is hopelessly gridlocked. Such a situation would not only hinder the personal mobility of all who live here but would also have a devastating impact on goods movement from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which would impact not only the local and state economies, but that of our nation as well. We also believe that taking action to improve funding for transportation projects will allow the creation of environmentally sound alternatives and improve the health of those who live and work here. For the sake of our future and that of future generations, we therefore wholeheartedly support your legislative package, and we hope that you will share this letter with your colleagues in the Legislature as needed to urge their support. ----- A PDF file summarizing the Assemblymember's bills is available at his website: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/pdf/TransportationProposals.pdf |