ACTION ALERT - Measure M Highway and Goods Movement Dollars in Jeopardy!
Business Voices needed at Metro, Thursday 6/22 at 9 a.m.
We were made aware last week of a motion that was not heard at committee level by Supervisors Hahn and Solis, Mayor Robert Garcia and Director Mike Bonin to move Measure M Highway subfund dollars away from building key bottleneck improvements and goods movement corridors that safely moves people and goods in LA County and into more active transportation projects as part of finalizing the Measure M guidelines. This is a major concern as BizFed and its members supported Measure M to fund a comprehensive mobility plan -- highway, transit, active transportation, technology, safety and increased access to transit networks. The local sales tax dollars to fund highway projects are already less than it was in Measure R -- at only 17% of the total measure -- yet this is the fund that supports goods movement, ExpressLanes, freeway connectors, as well as arterial improvements essential to generate the sales tax receipts to fund our transportation plan.
The timing right now is critical. At this Thursday's Metro Board of Directors meeting, the board will approve a final version of the Measure M guidelines. These guidelines will serve as an administrative guide for the Metro Board to implement Measure M funds. The Business Community through the leadership of BizFed's own Hilary Norton of FAST worked diligently with Metro as part of Measure M Policy Advisory Committee to develop Business Community principles on Measure M with an emphasis on project delivery, taxpayer accountability and accelerating projects that enhance sales tax revenue generation. The Metro Board needs to hear loud and clear from the Business Community that it is unacceptable to amend these guidelines in the Highway program without emphasis on project delivery and acceleration as this will impact voter supported funds purposed for safely moving people and goods through arterial and highway improvement projects that benefits our local economy!
Please join us with your organization's logo on the Business Community Principles document and attend this Thursday's Metro Board of Directors meeting and spread the word to engage with the Metro Board of Directors and let them know that the Business Community is watching.
MEETING DETAILS
WHAT: Metro Board of Directors meeting - Measure M Policy Guidelines, Item #38.3
WHEN: Thursday, June 22nd at 9:00 am, arrive by 8:30 to ensure a seat
WHERE: One Gateway Plaza, (corner of Cesar Chavez and Vignes), Metro Board of Directors - Board Room. Parking is available cost of $8 or you can take transit and ride the Metro Gold, Purple or Red lines to Union Station, follow overhead signage that leads to Metro Headquarters.
RSVP: To ensure your seat, RSVP is required so please CLICK HERE to let us know you're coming.
CLICK HERE to download the Measure M Business Community Principles, if you would like to have your organization's logo to this document please reply to jerard.wright@bizfed.org
CLICK HERE to download Metro Board motion on Measure M highway project subfund.
BACKGROUND
We urge you to remind Metro Board members key Business Community principles that we're developed by BizFed members brought forward through our Transportation Committee meetings in the Spring which include but are not limited to;
- Accountability to taxpayers to ensure project delivery and generate sufficient sales tax revenues.
- Leveraging the private sector and other funds like SB 1 to invest in our arterials, freeway bottlenecks, Express Lanes, and Goods Movement corridors that will help deliver projects more quickly and deliver more sales tax revenues to fund even more projects like active transportation.
- Newer, better paved, more efficient roadways have been proven to encourage investments in cleaner heavy duty trucks, and net tolls revenues in ExpressLanes continue to fund transit, active transportation and Vision Zero programs within the project corridors.
- The Business community supports safety being funded through Local Return and Active Transportation line items already included in Measure M.
- The local sales tax dollars for Highway projects are already less than it was in Measure R -- at only 17% of the total measure -- and yet this is the fund to support goods movement, ExpressLanes, freeway connectors, as well as arterial improvements essential to generate the sales tax receipts to fund our transportation plan.
For more information please contact Jerard Wright Jerard.wright@BizFed.org |
