L.A.'s Public Transit Mess
Los Angeles continues to treat public transportation as a red-haired stepchild. The Metropolitan Transit Authority, the region's main public transportation governing body met last night in a public session to discuss the astounding fare hikes being proposed. Everyone present knew that the proposed hikes were outrageous, and put forth just so a "compromise" set of numbers could be generated to stave off the financial disaster which really is just around the corner. That's exactly what happened.
First, some background. Because of a federal consent decree, there have been no fare hikes for the past ten years, and the MTA has been forced to buy more and newer buses to improve service. The federal court ruling, while necessary, did put the MTA system in quite a hole, one which the MTA did nothing to dig itself out of.
Here's the Los Angeles Times summary of the results from last night's meeting, along with a chart that shows what the new fares look like.
Los Angeles County transit leaders Thursday approved the first across-the-board fare increase in more than a decade, despite emotional testimony from hundreds of bus riders who said they could not afford steep price hikes.
The new fares — which apply to both bus and rail service — are less than the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's staff had sought but will still increase the amount riders pay significantly over the next two years. The cost of the monthly pass will gradually rise from $52 to $75 by July 1, 2009. The popular day pass will rise from $3 to $6 over the same period.
What the Metropolitan Transit Authority didn't apparently consider is that fares cannot be the only source of revenue any more than property taxes can be the only source of revenue for schools.
Steve Lopez, one of the LA Times better columnists for local matters, made a couple of quite obvious suggestions in his column this morning lambasting the MTA decision.
...State and federal officials are culprits in the collective failure to support transit, despite the growing social and economic cost of congestion and pollution-related illness. Where's bold, creative leadership when you need it?
Would the option of a few high-speed toll lanes for Los Angeles motorists raise enough money to buy the buses the MTA needs?
Is it time to mandate that large companies offer transit vouchers to employees and eliminate free parking?
Does the efficiency of smaller transit systems in Santa Monica, Culver City and the foothill cities suggest that the MTA should be broken into smaller regional agencies?
Is it time to increase the 18-cent federal gas tax or use more of it to fund transit?
Should developers get bigger incentives for building near transit centers?
It's time for the MTA board and the Southern California Assn. of Governments to lead a discussion on these kinds of solutions and fight for their support here, in Sacramento and Washington. As it is, they're on a slow bus to nowhere.
That's a nice start, Mr. Lopez. Nicely said.
First, some background. Because of a federal consent decree, there have been no fare hikes for the past ten years, and the MTA has been forced to buy more and newer buses to improve service. The federal court ruling, while necessary, did put the MTA system in quite a hole, one which the MTA did nothing to dig itself out of.
Here's the Los Angeles Times summary of the results from last night's meeting, along with a chart that shows what the new fares look like.
Los Angeles County transit leaders Thursday approved the first across-the-board fare increase in more than a decade, despite emotional testimony from hundreds of bus riders who said they could not afford steep price hikes.
The new fares — which apply to both bus and rail service — are less than the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's staff had sought but will still increase the amount riders pay significantly over the next two years. The cost of the monthly pass will gradually rise from $52 to $75 by July 1, 2009. The popular day pass will rise from $3 to $6 over the same period.
What the Metropolitan Transit Authority didn't apparently consider is that fares cannot be the only source of revenue any more than property taxes can be the only source of revenue for schools.
Steve Lopez, one of the LA Times better columnists for local matters, made a couple of quite obvious suggestions in his column this morning lambasting the MTA decision.
...State and federal officials are culprits in the collective failure to support transit, despite the growing social and economic cost of congestion and pollution-related illness. Where's bold, creative leadership when you need it?
Would the option of a few high-speed toll lanes for Los Angeles motorists raise enough money to buy the buses the MTA needs?
Is it time to mandate that large companies offer transit vouchers to employees and eliminate free parking?
Does the efficiency of smaller transit systems in Santa Monica, Culver City and the foothill cities suggest that the MTA should be broken into smaller regional agencies?
Is it time to increase the 18-cent federal gas tax or use more of it to fund transit?
Should developers get bigger incentives for building near transit centers?
It's time for the MTA board and the Southern California Assn. of Governments to lead a discussion on these kinds of solutions and fight for their support here, in Sacramento and Washington. As it is, they're on a slow bus to nowhere.
That's a nice start, Mr. Lopez. Nicely said.
Labels: California, Public Transportation
posted by Diane at 9:21 AM
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