Bill to Reorganize Transit, Kill RTD OKd by Key Panel

A bill reorganizing public transit in Los Angeles County and abolishing the Southern California Rapid Transit District was unanimously approved Thursday by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

A 22-0 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor for expected passage to the Senate.

The RTD’s powers and duties under the legislation would be transferred to the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission. The bill’s sponsor, Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda), called the proposal “a major step forward” toward creating a more effective, cost-efficient transit system.

As it is now, the Transportation Commission would be governed by a board consisting of the five Los Angeles County supervisors, the mayor of Los Angeles, two members appointed by the mayor with City Council consent, one member from the Long Beach City Council and a non-voting member appointed by the governor.

Don’t Attend Often

Presently, however, these members often do not attend board meetings and send personal representatives instead. Under Katz’s legislation, elected officials on the new board would be required to attend meetings, to make them more accountable to the voters.

The reorganized transportation commission would become responsible for operating the bus system, building the Metro Rail subway and all other transit projects, and planning for transit and highways throughout the county.

At present, the RTD operates bus service in much of Los Angeles County and also oversees construction of the subway system. The transportation commission currently is responsible for apportioning funds from the county’s half-cent sales tax for transit and for the planning and construction of light-rail projects, including the Los Angeles-to-Long Beach line. As things now stand, the RTD would operate both Metro Rail and the light-rail lines once they are built.

Katz charged that having two competing Los Angeles transportation bodies has resulted in a lack of coordinated planning, duplication of efforts, overlapping jurisdiction, and a lack of accountability.

“My bill would reorganize what everyone would agree is a mess in Los Angeles,” he told the committee. “It is basically designed to bring some sort of order out of chaos.

“It’s not perfect yet, it’s still being worked on, but it is a major, major step forward to producing an effective and cost-efficient transit system that is accountable to the people.”

The RTD recently has been accused of mismanagement with critics arguing that it is incapable of running the bus system and handling additional tasks--such as building and operating Metro Rail and future light-rail projects.

The commission has been criticized for duplicating the RTD by constructing a light-rail line and for wanting a policy voice in overall rail operations.