Letters: Taxes and L.A.’s transit future

Re “More taxes for more transit?,” Editorial, Nov. 24

I agree that the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority needs to take its time getting our next transportation sales tax right. Putting that tax on the ballot in 2016, a presidential election year, is better than 2014 for many reasons, including higher voter turnout.

By the 2016 election, the Expo Line to Santa Monica and the Gold Line to Azusa will be open, and construction on the Westside subway, the Crenshaw Line and the regional connector will be underway. Voters will see that the promises in Measure R, the half-cent sales tax increase passed in 2008, are promises kept.

In addition to investments in rail transit, Metro should consider expanding bus service as part of a “Grand Boulevards” program, which would include bike and pedestrian projects that improve transit access. It should invest in regional systems like Metrolink.

Such a program can truly deliver traffic relief, economic development and clean air.

Denny Zane

Los Angeles

The writer is the executive director of MoveLA.

Any extension of the 30-year sales tax designated for transportation should be strongly opposed. Metro has ignored the needs of all of L.A. County.

Rail line extensions to Santa Monica and elsewhere on the Westside, as well as the Gold Line extension, could possibly be supported, as these lines carry workers to moneyed, Lexus-driving population areas, whose residents themselves would not use the lines.

Unless there is uncompromising language in a tax proposal, backed by court decisions, requiring that the Green Line be extended into Los Angeles International Airport, as well as planning for rail lines on or near the freeways, I will continue to vote against giving Metro any more money.

Eric David

Long Beach

Before we begin more construction projects, how about finishing the ones we’ve started? Angelenos have to fight their way around too many as it is, and traffic is worse than ever.

How about letting all of us enjoy, for at least five minutes, the wonders of the completed Expo Line to the beach, the improved 405 Freeway (is that an oxymoron?), the new Purple Line and all of the new freeway lanes in Orange and San Bernardino counties before plunging us all back into construction and traffic hell?

Mary Edwards

Los Angeles

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