Assembly Panel OKs MTA Board Changes

State legislation backed by Mayor Richard Riordan as a solution to political factionalism on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board but assailed by others as a mayoral power grab cleared a key Assembly panel.

The bill would remove the Los Angeles mayor and five county supervisors from the 13-member MTA board and establish a nine-member body made up mostly of appointees. It was approved on a 13-5 vote of the Assembly Transportation Committee late Monday and now goes to the full Assembly.

Opponents say the legislation would increase the power of the Los Angeles mayor--who would retain appointive power over four seats but no longer serve on the panel--while shielding him from unpopular decisions.

“The mayor wants to control the board without being held accountable for its actions,” county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.

The supervisors opposed the legislation because they would lose their MTA seats and be replaced by a single appointee. The remaining four MTA board members would be representatives of the county’s smaller cities and could be elected officials.

Riordan has advocated an appointed board, “liberated from the inherent conflicts faced by politicians as they juggle the interests of multiple constituents.”