Metro Rail Assessment

In regard to the article (Feb. 19), “RTD Yields, Delays Special Tax Until Metro Rail Starts Running,” the Central City Assn. of Los Angeles would like to clarify several points.

The Central City Assn. (CCA) has been working in conjunction with the Southern California Rapid Transit District since September of 1986 to address the issue of benefit assessment for Metro Rail. The association, representing 220 businesses in the downtown area, was the first to recommend to RTD that the benefit assessment be deferred until Metro Rail is operational.

Other association recommendations have included streamlining the appeals process, eliminating the appeals fee and developing a mechanism for dealing with hardship cases.

RTD has supported these recommendations and on Feb. 24, the association’s Benefit Assessment Oversight Committee met to discuss the alternative financial models for benefit assessment deferment.

A formula was chosen that would defer the assesment for five years by selling all of the bonds now while interest rates are low. Also included in the formula recommendation is the provision that RTD staff and board meet with CCA at least annually to review the assessment issue.

In our final negotiation sessions with RTD, we invited Sam Rubinfeld, representing the Downtown Property Owners, and Geoff Ely, representing the Building Owners and Management Assn., to join us.

Our association would like to make it clear that the Metro Rail benefit assessment and its ramifications are not only of interest to but a major priority, as has been demonstrated by our taking the lead on this issue.

CHRISTOPHER L. STEWART

President and

Chief Operating Officer

Central City Assn.

of Los Angeles