Los Angeles

Villaraigosa and Boxer Team Up For Los Angeles Public Transit

Jennifer Halligan

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been in Washington, DC, as recently as March 16^th campaigning for the city to be given funding in order to expand Los Angeles’s subway system. Democratic California Senator Barbara Boxer has allied with Villaraigosa on this project, and their goal is to get enough money that the project can be completed in ten years, rather than the previously expected thirty. Villaraigosa has stated that he does not plan on funding this project entirely with federal money. He has suggested using the billions of dollars that came from the LA County approved Measure R, which raised sales tax a half-cent. The mayor has also estimated that the project would create 166,000 jobs, particularly during construction.

• In favor of the project: The construction of the extension will create jobs, and Los Angeles would benefit from better public transportation
• Opposed to the project: The federal government cannot afford to hand out money for projects such as these during this recession.

Additional reading:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/villaraigosa-in-dc-to-get-support-for-faster-subway-transit-funding.html#more