BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1078
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Date of Hearing: August 26, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1078 (Feuer) - As Amended: August 5, 2010
SUBJECT : Los Angles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority: Measure R reporting requirements
SUMMARY : Modifies reporting requirements related to Los Angeles
County's Measure R expenditure plan. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (Metro) to notify Los Angeles County members of the
Legislature one year in advance of any delay in the
availability of Measure R funds or project schedules (rather
than require one-year notice for any change.)
2)Requires Metro also to notify Los Angeles County legislative
representatives, in writing, of proposed amendments to the
expenditure plan that would accelerate funding for any capital
project but does not require the one-year advance notice.
3)Provides that these provisions should take effect immediately
as an urgency statute.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes Metro to impose, upon approval of voters, a
half-cent transactions and use tax for up to 30 years to fund
specific transportation projects and programs pursuant to an
adopted expenditure plan.
2)Requires Metro to notify members of the Legislature
representing the County of Los Angeles when certain amendments
are proposed to an adopted expenditure plan, including
amendments that affect the availability of Measure R funds or
project schedules.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : AB 2321 (Feuer, Chapter 302, Statutes of 2008)
provided Metro the authority to place Measure R on the ballot in
Los Angeles County. AB 2321 set forth provisions to govern
Measure R, including requirements for an expenditure plan,
AB 1078
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allocation of certain minimum dollar amounts to specific
projects, and notification requirements upon specific changes to
the expenditure plan and/or project schedules.
Metro is sponsoring this bill to facilitate implementation of
its "30/10 Initiative," an effort to accelerate completion of
Measure R projects. The 30/10 Initiative will use long-term
revenue from the Measure R sales tax as collateral for long-term
bonds and a federal loan. This will allow Metro to build 12 key
mass transit projects in 10 years, rather than in 30 years.
According to Metro, accelerating construction of these key Metro
projects will result in substantial cost savings. Furthermore,
successful implementation of the 30/10 Initiative is expected to
deliver immediate benefits like hundreds of thousands of jobs to
improve the local economy, reduce greenhouse emissions, and ease
traffic congestion.
AB 1078 will streamline implementation of the 30/10 Initiative
by modifying the legislative notice requirement. Metro will
continue to have to notify the Legislature one year in advance
if it proposes to delay the funding allocated to any of the
projects or if project schedules will be delayed.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093