Judge Denies Request by Rail Advocates to Cancel June Transportation Measure

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge Monday denied a request by San Fernando Valley rail advocates to cancel a transportation measure on the June 5 ballot.

Judge John Zebrowski denied the request by the Campaign for Valley Rail Transit, which charged that the measure violated the state Election Code.

The campaign complained that the advisory measure intended to gauge voters’ opinions on proposed rail options “asks voters to make one choice among three rail route alternatives or to select a fourth ‘no project’ alternative.” The complaint contended that the Elections Code does not allow the use of multiple choice questions on the ballot.

The judge said the Election Code did not specifically prohibit the use of multiple choice questions.

Roger L. Stanard, a Warner Center attorney who is chairman of the Campaign for Valley Rail Transit, said his group went to court after learning that it would not be allowed to write a ballot argument supporting the option they support--a 5.6-mile extension of Metro Rail across the San Fernando Valley to the San Diego Freeway. Until the extension was approved last week by county transportation officials, plans called for the subway from downtown to end at North Hollywood.

Stanard said the only arguments that will be on the ballot will be one written by county Supervisor Mike Antonovich favoring construction of a monorail from Universal City to Warner Center, and an argument against all rail projects by Encino homeowner activist Gerald A. Silver.

Stanard said his group could not present its case on the ballot because Antonovich and Silver had already taken the two available places.

The third option on the ballot is a ground-level rail line from North Hollywood to Warner Center.

The referendum was placed on the ballot by Antonovich in the hope of boosting his monorail proposal, which was passed over by the County Transportation Commission in favor of the Metro Rail extension.