Stymied by multiple attempts to leverage one of his key political victories as mayor - the passage of a half-cent tax increase to fund transit in LA - Villaraigosa announced another bid to speed up the expansion of the region's mass transit system.
As David Zahniser, Ari Bloomekatz and Kate Linthicum report, the defining proposal delivered by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during his penultimate State of the City speech this past week, an effort to ask voters to make permanent the 30-year sales tax increase passed in 2008, "marks perhaps a last chance to jump-start what he hopes will be the cornerstone of his legacy: dramatically expanding rail service in L.A."
"With congressional Republicans blocking his effort to tap a major source of federal financing, Villaraigosa is turning once again to the voters - hoping they will extend a half-cent sales tax increase he backed four years ago beyond its 2039 expiration date. The move would allow officials to borrow against nearly 50 years of future tax revenue and quickly raise an additional $8 billion for highway and transit projects."
One of the large questions, echoed by County Supervisor and MTA board member Mark Ridley-Thomas, is whether the county's transit agency, Metro, would even have the capacity to efficiently manage and build so many major rail projects simultaneously.
FULL STORY: Villaraigosa's legacy rides on transit plan
Can Good Design Lead to Good Deeds in Auto Obsessed L.A.?
For 10 years now, Michael Lejeune, Creative Director for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.), has made taking transit in L.A. seem a lot cooler. These re-branding efforts have contributed to a 38 percent increase in ridership since 2005.
L.A. Metro Report Examines How Women Travel
Findings from a new study about the mobility needs and concerns of women in Los Angeles will inform future initiatives and planning.
No Quick Fixes for L.A.’s Transit Ridership Woes
One of the largest transit systems in the country continues to lose large numbers of riders. But the causes behind the drop and the solutions to stop it are hard to pinpoint.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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