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At a time when unemployment is over 10% and Angelenos are facing the greatest economic challenge since the Great Depression, Tim Rutten's column on AnsaldoBreda Inc.'s proposal to bring thousands of jobs to Los Angeles, keep public money in the region and kick off a "green" corridor does the public a great disservice.
The facts, which we would have been happy to provide Rutten had he followed basic journalistic practices and contacted our company prior to his reporting, are as immutable as they are irrefutable.
First, the Los Angeles Economic Development Council confirms AnsaldoBreda's estimate that the company's proposals will create -- directly and indirectly -- more than 2,000 long-term jobs (as well as nearly 1,000 more construction jobs), generate $368.5 million in continued, sustained revenue and recapture public money from Measure R as opposed to sending it elsewhere.
Second, AnsaldoBreda is very proud of its record of fulfilling its commitments in such places as Boston and Atlanta to lease final assembly and storage facilities that have been proposed as part of the bid process. Having said that, the AnsaldoBreda proposal to locate and build a manufacturing facility in Los Angeles that will build vehicles from scratch is the first time AnsaldoBreda has ever proposed to locate and build a manufacturing facility in the U.S. We are not aware of any other rail manufacturer that has made such an offer to Los Angeles.
Third, though not mentioned in Rutten's story, AnsaldoBreda has demonstrated a seriousness of purpose by providing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority with a formal commitment letter legally obligating the company to locate the company's American manufacturing facility in Los Angeles, in addition to a number of other commitments, or forfeit its contract and assume a significant financial penalty.
Fourth, AnsaldoBreda is proud of its performance and record of being the Michelangelo of train builders. AnsaldoBreda is the oldest train builder in the world; one of the biggest train companies operating in the United States; a train manufacturer with one of the best safety records in the business; a train company with light-rail vehicles operating in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington; a train company that produces light-rail trains consistent with the MTA's specifications; and the builder of trains that the MTA's own personnel described publicly in the following way:
"The 2550 is as technologically advanced as any rail car operating in the United States. AnsaldoBreda has answered our call for a first-class vehicle that meets the needs of all three Metro Rail light-rail lines, to be delivered on time and on budget."
Fifth, in Rutten's discussion of the AnsaldoBreda plant, it is never pointed out that the company's plant in Pittsburg, Calif., is a leased final assembly and storage facility. It is not, it has never been and it never could be a manufacturing center. Moreover, as AnsaldoBreda has made clear, the Pittsburg facility will continue to operate as a final assembly and storage facility supporting AnsaldoBreda's contract in the Bay Area. We do not understand how anyone could confuse building a manufacturing facility such as the one the company hopes to build in L.A. with a leased final assembly and storage facility. As noted, a call to AnsaldoBreda would have made this fact clear.
Finally, Rutten seems to attribute a direct quote from the Contra Costa Times to Mike Pracht, a former AnsaldoBreda employee, regarding the Pittsburg plant, which in fact is not a direct quote. We believe such an effort to try to trick readers is an egregious violation of any basic journalistic ethical standard we are aware of.
In Rutten's conclusion, he cites President Obama's call for green retooling and the need for Angelenos to focus on projects that bring jobs to Los Angeles. Even a cursory amount of research would reveal that AnsaldoBreda is the only train manufacturer that has legally committed itself to building a manufacturing facility in Los Angeles that will create thousands of green-collar-related jobs, according to the Economic Development Council, and serve as the catalyst for the CleanTech Corridor.
Moreover, AnsaldoBreda is the only train manufacturer that will actually allow Angelenos to keep their taxpayer dollars in Los Angeles to stimulate the local economy -- as opposed to sending the money elsewhere, which is where the trains would otherwise be manufactured, generating jobs funded by the people of Los Angeles but not for the people of Los Angeles.
Fabio Ficano is the director of government affairs for AnsaldoBreda Inc.
The facts, which we would have been happy to provide Rutten had he followed basic journalistic practices and contacted our company prior to his reporting, are as immutable as they are irrefutable.
First, the Los Angeles Economic Development Council confirms AnsaldoBreda's estimate that the company's proposals will create -- directly and indirectly -- more than 2,000 long-term jobs (as well as nearly 1,000 more construction jobs), generate $368.5 million in continued, sustained revenue and recapture public money from Measure R as opposed to sending it elsewhere.
Second, AnsaldoBreda is very proud of its record of fulfilling its commitments in such places as Boston and Atlanta to lease final assembly and storage facilities that have been proposed as part of the bid process. Having said that, the AnsaldoBreda proposal to locate and build a manufacturing facility in Los Angeles that will build vehicles from scratch is the first time AnsaldoBreda has ever proposed to locate and build a manufacturing facility in the U.S. We are not aware of any other rail manufacturer that has made such an offer to Los Angeles.
Third, though not mentioned in Rutten's story, AnsaldoBreda has demonstrated a seriousness of purpose by providing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority with a formal commitment letter legally obligating the company to locate the company's American manufacturing facility in Los Angeles, in addition to a number of other commitments, or forfeit its contract and assume a significant financial penalty.
Fourth, AnsaldoBreda is proud of its performance and record of being the Michelangelo of train builders. AnsaldoBreda is the oldest train builder in the world; one of the biggest train companies operating in the United States; a train manufacturer with one of the best safety records in the business; a train company with light-rail vehicles operating in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington; a train company that produces light-rail trains consistent with the MTA's specifications; and the builder of trains that the MTA's own personnel described publicly in the following way:
"The 2550 is as technologically advanced as any rail car operating in the United States. AnsaldoBreda has answered our call for a first-class vehicle that meets the needs of all three Metro Rail light-rail lines, to be delivered on time and on budget."
Fifth, in Rutten's discussion of the AnsaldoBreda plant, it is never pointed out that the company's plant in Pittsburg, Calif., is a leased final assembly and storage facility. It is not, it has never been and it never could be a manufacturing center. Moreover, as AnsaldoBreda has made clear, the Pittsburg facility will continue to operate as a final assembly and storage facility supporting AnsaldoBreda's contract in the Bay Area. We do not understand how anyone could confuse building a manufacturing facility such as the one the company hopes to build in L.A. with a leased final assembly and storage facility. As noted, a call to AnsaldoBreda would have made this fact clear.
Finally, Rutten seems to attribute a direct quote from the Contra Costa Times to Mike Pracht, a former AnsaldoBreda employee, regarding the Pittsburg plant, which in fact is not a direct quote. We believe such an effort to try to trick readers is an egregious violation of any basic journalistic ethical standard we are aware of.
In Rutten's conclusion, he cites President Obama's call for green retooling and the need for Angelenos to focus on projects that bring jobs to Los Angeles. Even a cursory amount of research would reveal that AnsaldoBreda is the only train manufacturer that has legally committed itself to building a manufacturing facility in Los Angeles that will create thousands of green-collar-related jobs, according to the Economic Development Council, and serve as the catalyst for the CleanTech Corridor.
Moreover, AnsaldoBreda is the only train manufacturer that will actually allow Angelenos to keep their taxpayer dollars in Los Angeles to stimulate the local economy -- as opposed to sending the money elsewhere, which is where the trains would otherwise be manufactured, generating jobs funded by the people of Los Angeles but not for the people of Los Angeles.
Fabio Ficano is the director of government affairs for AnsaldoBreda Inc.
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