MTA wants to raise fares and taxes -- more than legally allowed -- so why not spend $4.1 million of your money to get what it wants
Even as the mayor and his pals are raising millions from contractors, developers, consultants, unions and other special interest that stand to profit, the MTA itself is spending $4.1 million in public money to promote the $40 billion half-cent sales tax hike on the November ballot.
Part of that campaign is using the MTA website which is topped with this promo for the sales tax hike and the text promising "traffic relief...rail extensions...reduce foreign oil dependence."
You have a problem with that? Tough. They've got the power, the pols,
the lawyers, and the guns for that matter, so shut your mouth and pay
up.That's pretty much the way things are these days. There's not much you can do about except to get organized and work the grassroots to change L.A.'s political culture.
Troy Anderson in the Daily News puts it together, reporting the MTA risked violating state law by using its taxpayer-funded Web site to pomote the sales tax but when told by the County Counsel what they were doing, pulled back a little by agreeing to use more neutral language to advocate for the measure. The website now is supposedly neutral.
But the $4.1 million "public-information" media-mail campaign is still on, angering Supervisor Mike Antonovich among others.
MTA spokesman Marc Littman insists the ads and mailers to every household in the county just contain "information that is fair, accurate and impartial" but then admits "we are asking voters to approve a half-cent sales tax that will generate $40 billion for transit and highway projects."
Fair and impartial advocacy, you got to love that.
Even as the mayor and his pals are raising millions from contractors, developers, consultants, unions and other special interest that stand to profit, the MTA itself is spending $4.1 million in public money to promote the $40 billion half-cent sales tax hike on the November ballot.
Part of that campaign is using the MTA website which is topped with this promo for the sales tax hike and the text promising "traffic relief...rail extensions...reduce foreign oil dependence."
You have a problem with that? Tough. They've got the power, the pols,
the lawyers, and the guns for that matter, so shut your mouth and pay
up.That's pretty much the way things are these days. There's not much you can do about except to get organized and work the grassroots to change L.A.'s political culture.Troy Anderson in the Daily News puts it together, reporting the MTA risked violating state law by using its taxpayer-funded Web site to pomote the sales tax but when told by the County Counsel what they were doing, pulled back a little by agreeing to use more neutral language to advocate for the measure. The website now is supposedly neutral.
But the $4.1 million "public-information" media-mail campaign is still on, angering Supervisor Mike Antonovich among others.
MTA spokesman Marc Littman insists the ads and mailers to every household in the county just contain "information that is fair, accurate and impartial" but then admits "we are asking voters to approve a half-cent sales tax that will generate $40 billion for transit and highway projects."
Fair and impartial advocacy, you got to love that.
"The dust-up comes as the MTA earlier this week asked the Registrar-Recorder's Office to place the measure on the ballot even though Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has so far not signed a bill by Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, that would allow cities in the county to exceed the state sales tax cap,'' Anderson reports.
You got to love that too, print the ballot with this Measure R on it even though it isn't legal. So much for respect for the law.
Of course, there is no law that applies to politicians or government agencies. The state Fair Political Practices Commission took note of that yesterday and voted unanimously to consider legislation to toughen the rules on what the MTA is doing.
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
About time, I would say!