GUEST COMMENTARY - The Metro Board of Directors are proposing to extend the half-cent transportation sales tax measure, known as Measure R, on this November's ballot.
The measure will extend the transportation sales tax for 30 additional years in order to accelerate the construction of regional traffic highway and transit projects. If approved, the tax will be in place until 2069.
Although I fully supported the passing of the original Measure R, this particular rendition of a tax extension is not in the best interest of the community.
The original Measure R was a well-documented, well thought out piece of legislation that gave very specific details regarding projects, timelines and funding for the city’s transportation expansion plan.
This new extension, known as Measure R+, goes contrary to the original plan by not giving a specific timeline for the projects. No new transportation projects are being added, the extra tax is simply to accelerate the speed of the current projects. To tax people until the year 2069 merely to speed up projects that have already been approved and funded is not in the community’s best interest.
The new measure still needs approval of the State Senate and the Governor’s office before appearing on the November 2012 ballot, but I want community members to be aware that there will be a number of other measures forthcoming on this year’s ballot that deal with increasing taxes of Los Angeles County residents.
(Barnard C. Parks is Councilman for Los Angeles’ 8th District. Contact him at: www.bernardparks.com or twitter@BernardCParks and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CouncilmemberParks)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 65
Pub: Aug 14, 2012
