https://soundcloud.com/metrolosangeles/lacmta-tth-1019-2016
https://soundcloud.com/metrolosangeles/lacmta-tth-1019-2016-esp
This is the second of the two Telephone Town Halls held this month to provide information to the public about Measure M, Metro’s sales tax ballot measure.
Measure proposes to raise the countywide sales tax by a half cent and to extend the Measure R half-cent sales tax beyond its 2039 expiration date to play for a number of transit, road, pedestrian and bicycle projects and programs, among other items. To learn more about the ballot measure, click here. To see Measure M’s timeline of projects and programs, click here and scroll down to the charts.
Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects
With all due respect to Metro for putting this together, I’m left with more questions than answers on why I should support this measure. If it passes and Metro works to expand the system, what plans are in place to maintain the new expansion as well as the existing system? Will project actually be completed in time frames that allows them to be viable? Are there any plans for improved passenger safety? I know Metro has stated that there is a new contract in the works for more private security, but I’m hesitant to believe this only because it’s been almost a year since I’ve last seen any type of security along the Red/Purple line in the early morning hours leaving out of North Hollywood.
I see no reason to increase taxes to expand a system that already struggles to operate on time and fails to develop schedules that actually work. If Metro were serious about what they do and what they would like to do, they should look within first to improve the current operations and give those who rely on the various services a reason to trust that any future plans will truly work and be a benefit.
Hi Ray;
Under the ballot measure spending plan, two percent of funds — an estimated $2.39 billion in the first 40 years if approved — would go to State of Good Repair programs for Metro transit. Hope that helps answer that question.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
The link to http://theplan.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/factsheet_measurem.pdf on the very bottom of http://theplan.metro.net/ STILL leads to a page that does not exist.
How much longer is this error going to exist??? I am extremely disappointed that your IT staff has not corrected this screw-up. Obviously who wrote the code never tested it to see that all links worked, It only took me two clicks to discover it.
I remind voters that Measure M will take tie the hands of the taxpayers’ to intercede directly and quickly against any misuse by Metro of the billions of new sales tax dollars for as long as anyone reading this will likely live, all for the sake of maybe lower interest rates on the bonds it will need to do what Measure M suggests. Measure M plans, including a freeway thru the empty desert for real estate developers, are only possibilities but the “forever” sales tax will be for real!