Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the Library’s Headlines blog, which you can also access via email subscription or RSS feed.
Can L.A. afford an indefinite tax on transit? (L.A. Times)
The Times’ editorial board takes a wait-and-see approach to the Measure R extension proposal, saying it could finally create a worthy transit network. On the other hand, the Times’ frets that an indefinite extension of the half-cent sales tax would provide Metro an open checkbook with too little accountability.
An amazing Metro adventure in Los Angeles (Follow My Bliss)
On Father’s Day, a couple boards the Blue Line in Long Beach and travels north, determined to see where the Metro system make take them. A link to part two of their adventure is at the bottom of the post, which supplies a good first-timers view of the system.
Lawsuits threaten light rail in Los Angeles (NPR)
A segment on the lawsuits by Beverly Hills against the Westside Subway Extension — which NPR inaccurately labels as light rail in the headline. It’s a heavy rail subway. The segment could have been a lot more detailed, IMO.
June Mountain won’t open in 2012-13 (Pete Thomas Outdoors)
The remote ski resort in the Eastern Sierra — it’s 25 miles north of Mammoth Lakes — won’t open next winter due to lack of visitors. Once upon a time it was a road trip destination for skiers but times have changed and apparently there’s not enough skiers to go around anymore, even in the nation’s most populous state.
Categories: Transportation Headlines
The Times remembers the MTA debacle of the 90’s, which gave was a perfect storm of the subway collapsing on Hollywood Boulevard and the too-thin walls; the MTA board eliminating all passes and considering eliminating all Sunday service, which gave us the BRU; and too many politicians wanting a rail line in their community, which gave us such proposed routes as LAX-Palmdale and Burbank-LA light rail. The Expo Line was delayed from opening almost two years, the Gold Line Eastside a year late, etc. I think MTA has a better chance of getting this passed once some of the lines, like Foothill and Expo to Santa Monica, open up by 2016, since there is now something tangible for more voters to look at. Otherwise, on a ballot with three other tax measures statewide and however many more in local communities, people may just feel taxed too much.
The headline is actually “Can L.A. afford an indefinite tax for transit?” not attack.
Thanks, andy! Fixed.
Carter Rubin
Contributor, The Source
If Metro could be at least be more profitable with less tax payer dependency they wouldn’t be indefinitely attacked. There is lack of accountability as it is today, do you think there will be any accountability when “let’s keep taxing forever” Measure R is passed?
It’s just like handing out money to people. Give a person a million bucks, they waste it on useless things. They learn nothing from it so when they run out of money, they just expect people to keep giving more money. Look at how most lotto millionaires end up having bad endings. Same thing with giving a blank check to Metro.
Enough is enough. No more candy for you Metro. Learn how to make money on your own. You can start off with slashing Metro executives’ paycuts down by 20% and reviewing your benefits and portfolios just like the rest of America.