2008 Los Angeles County Measure R

Ballot measure in Los Angeles County, California for transportation projects November 2023 Measure R Flag of Los Angeles County, California.svg County of Los Angeles Sales Tax Los Angeles County, California, U.S. 2008 11 04 2039214 962569 Los Angeles County Official Resultshttps://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/08110018/rr0018pd.html-ssi CM Measure R was a ballot measure during the November 2008 elections in Los Angeles County, California, that proposed a half-cent sales taxes increase on each dollar of taxable sales (originating in or made from Los Angeles County) for thirty years in order to pay for transportation projects and improvements. The measure was approved by voters with 67.22% of the vote, just over the two-thirds majority required by the state of California to raise local taxes.Hymon Steve A Closer Look at Half-Cent Sales Tax Hike, Measure R https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-oct-30-me-roadsage30-story.html Los Angeles Times 30 October 2008 The project was touted as a way to "improve the environment by getting more Angelenos out of their cars and into the region's growing subway, light rail, and bus services."http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/measure-j_b_2069147.html LA's Measure J Will Create Jobs and Clean the Environment Dreier Peter November 3, 2012 Huffington Post 6 February 2013 It will result in the construction or expansion of a dozen rail lines in the county.https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-may-15-la-me-metro-budget-20110515-story.html Los Angeles County is poised to accelerate its rail projects Bloomekatz Ari May 15, 2011 Los Angeles Times 6 February 2013 Funding The ballot measure created an ordinance called the Traffic Relief and Rail Expansion Ordinance, which included an expenditure plan defining specific projects to be funded, timeframes for availability of funds, and expected levels of funding. The ordinance became effective on 2 January 2009 and is set to expire in year 2039.https://media.metro.net/measure_R/documents/expenditure_plan.pdf Measure R Expenditure Planhttps://media.metro.net/measureR/images/ordinance.pdf Measure R Ordinance Projects to be funded include expansion of light rail and subway services, freeway expansions, and funds for local cities to spend on their own transportation infrastructure.http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PSWB&p_theme=pswb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=123C7D56012F2578&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Measure R would boost transit Abendschein Dan October 11, 2008 Pasadena Star-News 6 February 2013 After the passage of Measure R in November 2008, the new sales tax rate in Los Angeles County rose to 8.75% (since 2013, 9-10%), second only to Alameda County in California (though there were a few cities whose sales tax rates exceeded the new rate). Before passage, the Los Angeles Economic Development Agency estimated that it would cost each county resident about $25 a year, and each family about $80. Allocation The tax is expected to raise $40 billion over thirty years. After subtracting 1.5% for administrative costs, the remaining money must be spent as follows: 35% for transit capital projects, e.g. new rail and bus rapid transit lines 3% for transit capital on the Metrolink commuter rail system 2% for miscellaneous transit capital, e.g. rail rolling stock, maintenance facilities 20% for highway capital projects 5% for operations on new rail lines 20% for bus operation improvements 15% for local return, i.e.  transportation money that individual cities decide how to spend Transportation projects thumb|right|Geographic map of the LA Metro system showing all transit projects included in Measure R Examples of transportation projects and improvements cited by proponents of Measure R include beginning the so-called Subway to the Sea, get the Green Line light rail to Los Angeles International Airport, widen the 5 Freeway at the bottleneck before the Orange County line, and add carpool lanes. The sales tax froze regular fares until 2010 and froze fares for seniors, disabled people, students, and those on Medicare thru 14 September 2014. Most of the projects depending on Measure R for money will require additional funding. This is because in order to secure political support, proponents aimed to offer "something for many constituencies", leading to an ambitious list of transportation projects, which relies in part on federal and state funds making up part of the funding of proposed projects, as has been the case for past projects. Planned expenditures included:Proposed One-Half Cent Sales Tax for Transportation Outline of Expenditure Categories https://media.metro.net/measure_R/documents/expenditure_plan.pdf Metro 17 August 2020 Transit Projects Eastside Transit Corridor Crenshaw/LAX Line (K Line) South Bay Green Line Extension San Fernando Valley Interstate 405 Corridor Connection San Fernando Valley Canoga Corridor San Fernando Valley East North-South Rapidways Southeast Gateway Line D Line Extension Capital Project Contingency Highway Projects Alameda Corridor East Grade Separations Phase II BNSF Grade Separations in Gateway Cities Countywide Soundwall construction High Desert Corridor Interstate 5 / SR-14 additional capacity Interstate 5 additional capacity Interstate 605 to Orange County Interstate 5 additional capacity SR-134 to SR-170 Interstate 5 North additional capacity SR-14 to Kern County Highway Operational Improvements in Arroyo Verdugo Highway Operational Improvements in Las Virgenes/Malibu subregion Interstate 405, Interstate 110, Interstate 105, and SR-91 Ramp and Interchange Improvements Interstate 605 Hot Spot Interchanges Interstate 710 North gap closure Interstate 710 South early action SR-138 additional capacity Capital Project Contingency Political support Proponents Among prominent politicians, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) were the most vocal proponents. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce supported it. Having donated $900,000, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) was the "largest single donor to the effort to raise the sales tax in the county and build more mass transit". According to LACMA surveys, the top three reasons people do not visit the museum pertain to transportation: prospective visitors "live too far, there's too much traffic, and the museum is inconvenient to freeways and mass transit".Hymon Steve Why LACMA Spent $900,000 on Measure R http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/why-lacma-spent.html Los Angeles Times 3 November 2008 Opponents Los Angeles County Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich, Don Knabe, and Gloria Molina were opposed to the measure, claiming that the "spending plan favors the Westside" and denies other parts of the county such as San Fernando Valley their "fair share of sales tax revenues".Villacorte Christina CA: L.A. County Supervisors to Vote on Whether to Put Measure R Extension on Ballot http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10756277/ca-la-county-supervisors-to-vote-on-whether-to-put-measure-r-extension-on-ballot Mass Transit 7 August 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140814111641/http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10756277/ca-la-county-supervisors-to-vote-on-whether-to-put-measure-r-extension-on-ballot August 14, 2014 MTA board member John Fasana opposed Measure R because he believed it does not "provide enough assurances" that funds will be spent as planned. Expansion of Measure Measure J Measure J Los Angeles County Sales Tax for Transportation Los Angeles County, California, U.S. 2012 11 06 Yes 66.11 No 33.89 Did not reach 2/3 supermajority; failed to pass The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors decided to ask voters on the November 2012 ballot whether or not to extend the half-cent sales tax increase for an additional 30 years until 2069. The board's 10–3 vote came just one day before the opening of the expanded Metro Orange Line - the first project funded by Measure R.http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/metro-orange-line-extension-los-angeles-board-of-supervisors-sales-tax-measure-r-antonio-villaraigosa-zev-yaroslavsky-160885375.html Expansion of Measure R Half-Cent Sales Tax to Hit Ballot in November Tan Caroline June 30, 2012 NBC 4 Southern California 6 February 2013 Proponents such as Mayor Villaraigosa maintain that it would save money by allowing Metro to take advantage of record low interest rates and construction costs, create thousands of jobs, and speed up the completion of certain projects. In order to fund more transportation projects at the present time, the measuring would permit "bonding against future revenues"—i.e., to "take out loans from the investment market that will not be paid back until beginning in 2039". The extension would not result in new transportation projects; it would merely allow projects on the current list to be completed more quickly, in 10 years instead of 30.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/antonio-villaraigosa/not-waiting-for-washingto_b_1457525.html Not Waiting for Washington: Continue Measure R Until the Voters Themselves Decide to End It Villaraigosa Antonio April 27, 2012 Huffington Post 6 February 2013 The proposal, Measure J, went before the voters on November 6, 2012. It failed to pass, receiving 66.1% of the vote where 66.7% was required.http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/measure-j-la-county-transit-tax-extension-fails.html Measure J, L.A. County transportation tax extension, fails November 7, 2012 Los Angeles Times 6 February 2013http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_21948976/measure-j-transit-tax-falling-short-two-thirds Measure J: Transit tax falling short of two-thirds majority November 7, 2012 Daily News Los Angeles 6 February 2013 Measure M Measure M Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan Los Angeles County, California, U.S. 2016 11 08 2259654 916375 Los Angeles County Official Resultshttps://results.lavote.net/#year=2016&election=3496 Election Results On the November 2016 ballot, LACMTA proposed a $120 billion plan to expand upon Measure R, adding new transit projects and expediting others previously approved under Measure R. The plan, known as Measure M, would make measure R permanent and add an additional half-cent sales tax.Nelson Laura J. March 18, 2016 MTA shows what taxpayers will get if they OK a $120-billion sales tax increase https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-transit-projects-20160319-story.html The Los Angeles Times June 22, 2016 Measure M passed with 70.15% of the vote, clearing the two-thirds majority required.http://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2016&election=3496 LA County Election Results www.lavote.net 2016-11-25 The horizon year for the tax is 2057. Measure M programmed funding for the following projects:Hymon Steve Measure M project descriptions https://thesource.metro.net/2016/11/08/measure-m-project-descriptions/ 15 August 2020 The Source Metro 8 November 2016 30em LAX/Metro Transit Center connection to SkyLink D Line Extension Phase 3 High Desert Corridor (cancelled in 2019) Interstate 5 capacity increase Foothill Extension North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Project East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project Southeast Gateway Line (Phases 1 & 2) K Line Track Enhancement SR-71 freeway gap Los Angeles River bicycle path Sepulveda Transit Corridor (Phases 1 & 2) Vermont Transit Corridor SR-57/SR-60 Interchange capacity increase K Line Extension to Torrance Interstate 710 South Corridor Project (Phases 1 & 2) Interstate 105 Express Lanes Eastside Transit Corridor K Line Northern Extension Interstate 405/Interstate 110 Interchange capacity increase Interstate 605/Interstate 10 Interchange SR-60/Interstate 605 HOV Direct Connectors Lincoln Boulevard Transit Corridor Interstate 110 express lane extension Interstate 405 South Bay curve project C Line extension to Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink San Fernando Valley Transit Improvements G Line conversion to light rail City of San Fernando Bike Master Plan Los Angeles Streetcar In March 2020, the City of Inglewood reallocated $233 million from Measure M highway improvement funds to help finance the Inglewood Transit Connector people mover.Editorial: Want football fans to take transit? Build a people mover to the new Inglewood stadium https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-03-19/inglewood-people-mover-stadium 22 April 2020 Los Angeles Times 19 March 2020 See also Los Angeles Metro Rail Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Twenty-eight by '28 References External links Metro | projects | Measure R Measure M: Metro’s Plan to Transform Transportation in LA https://web.archive.org/web/20161109143037/http://theplan.metro.net/ November 9, 2016 Category:Ballot measures in Los Angeles County, California Category:2008 California ballot propositions Category:Transportation ballot measures in the United States