MTA tax measure goes to ballot

The MTA Board has consistently killed all efforts to extend the light rail down the 210 corrridor over the last 10 years. Absolutely NO TAX HIKE! And, the San Gabriel Valley should completely withdraw ALL taxes from the MTA, forming their own transportation agency that will more effectively serve our needs. The MTA has proven it serves ONLY its masters in the City of LA, and has no interest in the "peripheral areas" except as a source of funds to try to to fill its limitless, black hole of unmet needs and political agendas. The creation of another BILLION DOLLAR PLUS A MILE SUBWAY is absolutely ridiculous, except as a means to transfer the maximum tax dollars from the people to private contractors. What a scam!

straightpath1 wrote:

The MTA Board has consistently killed all efforts to extend the light rail down the 210 corrridor over the last 10 years. Absolutely NO TAX HIKE! And, the San Gabriel Valley should completely withdraw ALL taxes from the MTA, forming their own transportation agency that will more effectively serve our needs. The MTA has proven it serves ONLY its masters in the City of LA, and has no interest in the "peripheral areas" except as a source of funds to try to to fill its limitless, black hole of unmet needs and political agendas. The creation of another BILLION DOLLAR PLUS A MILE SUBWAY is absolutely ridiculous, except as a means to transfer the maximum tax dollars from the people to private contractors. What a scam!

Good points. It's official now as all of the transpiration funding the SGV will receive is for that smog producing big rig shipping corridor through South Pas starting from the port of Los Angeles. Other than that we get nothing. No Gold Line funding or freeway improvements. Nothing that benefits our area, only what benefits LA County and the MTA.

When considering the new sales tax LA County wants us to vote for it is important to realize that LA is a monetary black hole with all the corruption going on. We have hard working Whites, Asians, Hispanics and Blacks who don't like getting screwed out here.

No Gold Line; then no sales tax and No Toll lanes! Refuse taxation without representation. Don't buy big ticket items in LA County, use the internet. And just revolt and disregard the toll lanes. If you get a ticket don't pay. It will only work if everyone joins in.

We need a succession movement from Los Angeles now. Those criminals will keep riding us for taxes until we're dead.

Who ever puts together a succession movement from Los Angeles will get honored with a statue at both ends of the SGV. The SGV has enough money to become the next Orange County and can be great if we use our money on ourselves. We should annex the unincorporated areas of LA that are a blight in our communities, fix them up and have nothing to do with Los Angeles County except maybe contract with them for emergency services when needed. We pay an arm and a leg for those services anyway.

It is as clear as day now. The SGV makes the money. We pay taxes. LA country takes money. They are tax takers. We give; they take and give it to anyone in LA County but us. That is the only relationship we have with LA County. Most recently they have been bullied by the San Fernando Valley mafia after this area ran a successful succession movement. Good for them, bad for us.

These bastards in LA City Hall and at the MTA think we are too complacent and stupid to put together a succession movement. LA County and those city hall bribe taking crooks think we are nothing more than a bunch of do nothing aging W.A.S.P’s coupled with gullible money making immigrants. Let’s pack our shit and leave and see how well they do when the gravy train stops.

Too bad the LA Daily News doesn't serve the SGV. They helped get the secession movement on the ballot in the San Fernando Valley. I doubt the Pasadena Star News which is owned by the LA Daily News has the balls to do this for the SGV.

One thing is for sure, everyone is sick of getting screwed out here by LA County and something has to be done right now; not later. Apparently our regional politicians have heard us loud and clear as Drier, Molina, Antonovich and Solis all say they will not support the tax hike if the Gold Line isn't built.

Garry Miller appears to be leading the charge for the SGV to get its share. Good for him. When was the last time all these politicians agreed on something? Amazing.

The MTA must be dismantled or at the very least all current members voted out along with the incompetent LA mayor. This organization is full of corruption. No way should ANYONE in LA have to give these people another dime to piss away.

Two years ago the MTA and LA County raided the SGV's tansportation bond funds that were supposed to fix the 10/605 interchange and handed them over to the San Fernando Valley to improve the 101 in order get a few extra votes from the San Fernando Valley. Do you think they are going to change if this sales tax is approved?

Also did you know the only reason the Gold Line was built was because the Feds forced LA County to give us funding. David Drier played a big role in getting funding for the Gold Line so thank him. If it had been up to MTA and LA County the Gold Line would never have been built. If only more people knew. No on this sales tax! Prop 13 is already being dismantled with all these sneaky state and county bonds.

We all KNOW the MTA oh too well. That's all I have to say. I think what they do speaks for itself. And one thing they do is LIE.

Most of the San Fernando Valley is the city of LA. Most of the SGV is unincorporated or individual cities. It's not as easy for the SGV to make the statement the SFV did. Creating our own transportation association like the MTA is the best route for us. Keep our tax hike in our own system. For that matter the Inland Empire should do the same.

RuFF wrote:

Most of the San Fernando Valley is the city of LA. Most of the SGV is unincorporated or individual cities. It's not as easy for the SGV to make the statement the SFV did. Creating our own transportation association like the MTA is the best route for us. Keep our tax hike in our own system. For that matter the Inland Empire should do the same.

Good points but it doesn't mean we won't try it. Something's gonna give soon. Taxpayers here are sick of this crap to the point where they will push for this starting with their city councils.

In addition to not approving NEW sales taxes, lets get going to take our existing share of sales, property, and federal matching funds, and have them reserved for those taxpayers who paid them. No more poaching by the City of LA on our tax base. Then we can use that money to develop our own transportation hubs to enhance business and make the SGV a destination. THEN, LA residents will be coming here to work and shop and not the reverse! Stop the corruption now!

straightpath1 wrote:

In addition to not approving NEW sales taxes, lets get going to take our existing share of sales, property, and federal matching funds, and have them reserved for those taxpayers who paid them. No more poaching by the City of LA on our tax base. Then we can use that money to develop our own transportation hubs to enhance business and make the SGV a destination. THEN, LA residents will be coming here to work and shop and not the reverse! Stop the corruption now!

Regional taxation. For example the SGV uses its taxes on the SGV. LA on LA and so on. But do you really think LA would give up its welfare check from the SGV up that easily. I don't.

So let me get this straight: A majority of those who live outside of LA and the westide will not get proportionate funding from MTA because that's just they it goes according to guys like Board Member Zev. But its okay for us to also pay a highway toll to use our own freeways. Doesn't MTA get it. Their wealthier patrons on the westside will never step out of the luxury sedans to ride public transit so why the hell waste all this money on them. They should have the toll lane...on the 405. We should have the funding for mass transit because we are the one's who will actually use it. I URGE ALL RESIDENTS OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TO VOTE "NO" on the MTA-for-the-Westside Tax. Doesn't a huge chunk of sales tax revenue already go to MTA and for transportation...why the heck do they need more. Maybe they should stop wasting money on things like Monorails along Wilshire. VOTE NOTE ON THE MTA-FOR-THE-WESTSIDE TAX.

When we moved to Glendora five years ago the Gold Line was supposed to come to this area in 2007! Then every time it's mentioned it gets moved forward. I did not realize the San Gabriel Valley has no representation on the MTA board. I would not mind paying an additional half-cent tax for mass transit projects if the money was to be doled out fairly, but I will definitely vote no to any such tax as long as the San Gabriel Valley needs are ignored. And I am very much opposed to expensive subways and tunnels.

Rose Marie,

When Prop. A was passed in 1980 the Gold Line was scheduled to Pasadena for 1987, then 1994, then it finally opened in 2003, This finally ocurred after then Senator Adam Schiff authored legislation which took it away from the (then?) incompetent LACMTA, and got it built.

Beware of hucksters selling snake oil? The GL Authority and our ineffective SGV representation on the MTA don't help much. Haphazard and ineffective leadership (including the "new" Chairman Villaraigoza) are a fundamental problem at MTA. And, demogougic grandstanding like Molina, or playing a fake "victim" like Fasana, don't help any, either.

The MTA needs fundamental reform, including more balanced, or even "democratic" representation based upon population, and a clearer focus on its mission.

Our transportation bureaucracy, from USDOT, to Caltrans, to the completely useless and dangerously dysfunctional California High Speed Rail Authority (this ship of fools may actually get taxpayer backed bond monies????), need top to bottom reform. Then we might make some progress in finding consensus on what resources are needed and how we make the future investments we desparately need?