Opinion: If Metro can’t make our exisiting public transit sytem run smoothly, voters will reject a ‘no sunset’ tax

To the editor: At the end of his opinion piece, Mayor Eric Garcetti writes, “We can create a new transportation system that integrates public transit lines, freeways and local streets to get all of us where we want to go, when we want to get there, however we chose to move.” (Re “Money for Metro, now and later,” Opinion, June 23)

That seems not to be what is happening throughout the city, where the existing surface street infrastructure is being compromised by city engineers. The fad-du-jour road diets reduce lanes, slowing drivers, increasing their frustration and exacerbating congestion, especially during rush hour.

Glen W. Redman, Verdugo Village

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To the editor: Garcetti calls for imposing a “no sunset” increase in the sales tax to help support the MTA. I wonder if the mayor makes much use of MTA systems. If he does, I wonder how he has not noticed that while the MTA is entranced by opportunities for mega-spending on massive new projects, it is at the same time contemptuous of the riders it is supposed to serve.

This contempt is manifested in simple but important things such as the lack of bus benches at many stops, poor or nonexistent signage when stops are moved, frequency of service on some major routes, insufficient numbers of cars on rail lines, lack of parking at stations, poor connectivity between bus and rail stops.

The MTA appears to have forgotten that many of the riders it treats so badly are also voters. Until and unless the MTA makes marked improvements in service, I’m voting NO on the “no sunset” transportation sales tax, and I suspect I will not be the only one.

Thomas Fuchs, West Hollywood

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