CALABASAS : City Joins Support for MTA Lobbyist

The Calabasas City Council has voted to join a program in which a group of cities hope to band together to pay the salary of a lobbyist to represent their interests at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Calabasas, which has committed to paying $1,566 toward the salary of the lobbyist, acted on the urging of Larry Zarian, vice chairman of MTA’s board of directors.

“The volume and variety of technical issues facing the MTA board requires an extensive amount of research, analysis, investigation and preparation prior to meetings,” Zarian, who is also on the Glendale City Council, wrote in a letter to 11 cities. “We believe that hiring a full-time staff person for our corridor is essential to adequately represent our interests to the MTA.”

The staff person would be paid about $50,000 annually plus benefits, Zarian wrote.

“I’m hoping this person would be an ombudsman and get us the transportation we need,” said Calabasas Mayor Karyn Foley.

Calabasas officials, Foley said, want the city’s bus line extended past the Valley Circle interchange. Extended service is also needed in Calabasas Park, she said.

The city of Calabasas, Foley said, might also be able to provide a high school student to work as an intern to help the lobbyist.

The formula for how much each city would pay is based on its population, said Zarian.

Other cities that have been invited to join are Agoura Hills, Burbank, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Hidden Hills, Lancaster, Malibu, Palmdale, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Westlake Village.

“Our initial discussions indicate that some of the cities are very supportive,” Zarian wrote. He asked the cities to sign non-binding letters of intent saying they want to join.