SHERMAN OAKS—Metro revealed its mass transit proposal for the city of Los Angeles on Friday, March 18, which could lead to a tax increase as well as the subway traveling through the Sepulveda Pass area. The proposal would see the increase of sales tax by one-half cent.
Congressman Brad Sherman, whose district includes the San Fernando Valley region, made the following statement in response to the proposal:
“Since 2008, the Valley has been paying higher sales taxes to pay for trains and subways benefitting the rest of Los Angeles. While the Valley pays more than a fifth of the tax, we have only one mile of the trains and subways, just 1% of the county total. Now, Metro is proposing to raise the sales tax an additional one half cent, while also extending the temporary sales tax increase adopted in 2008 for two more decades.
I am glad to see that the Metro plan allocates substantial funds for a subway through the Sepulveda Pass. I have repeatedly advised Metro that a subway through the Sepulveda Pass is the most critical project to the long-term transit needs of the San Fernando Valley. Only roughly half of the funds for the Sepulveda Pass project are guaranteed in Metro’s plan, with the rest dependent on other funding sources.
I look forward to working with Metro and others to make sure that before this proposal is put on the ballot, it assures funding for a subway through the Sepulveda Pass as well as substantial improvements to the Orange Line busway. I am hopeful that we can improve the plan before the measure is finalized in June and put before voters in November.”
