Metro cuts won’t save L.A. budget
Daniel Feeney is understandably concerned about proposed Los Angeles budget cuts (“Pay cuts for city workers not the answer to the budget deficit,” Feb. 22).
All public agencies are facing difficult choices because of reduced revenues as a result of the current economic downturn.
However, stopping the planned Westside Subway Extension, or any of the other transit projects currently in development, will do nothing to fix the city budget and may even hurt.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the regional agency charged with planning, funding, building and ultimately operating the Westside Subway Extension along with many other transit projects. We are a separate, independent agency that is not part of the City of Los Angeles.
Local funds associated with these projects come primarily from local sales taxes dedicated solely for these purposes. The same is true for any state or federal dollars that would help with their construction.
Stopping the projects will not free up funds for local police or public school teachers or any other important needs.
The subway and other transit planned as a part of Measure R and approved by the voters in November 2008 is estimated to generate 210,000 construction jobs and infuse $32 billion back into the local economy.
That’s something we could all use, and it will go a long way toward replenishing public coffers.
Jody Litvak
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Criticism lacks perspective
I’d like to respond to Kia Makarechi’s column (“Protest methods at UCI ineffective,” Feb. 17).
Comparing the UCI protesters to “toothless” anteaters is being no more respectful than they were. Although it seems that their actions have, in fact, “ironically fostered anti-Muslim views,” many people are unaware of their background.
Before any claims are made about their public perception, I would like to ask: Are you seeing what you want to see, or seeing what is actually there?
Amelia Noor
Second-year, global studies