The small guy loses out

Poor Fontana. It was set to finally get much-needed freeway upgrades through the state bond measure. Then L.A. step in and Fontana became a loser. The Times' Jonathan Abrams reports:

Just a week ago, Fontana was a big winner in the fight for a new bankroll of state highway dollars when the California transportation officials set aside $85.7 million to widen a leg of Interstate 10 that slices through the mushrooming city. But that was before Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, upset that L.A. freeway projects were shortchanged, walked down Wilshire Boulevard urging motorists to complain to state leaders in Sacramento — and before other big-city politicians across California added to the chorus of complaints. In response, the California Transportation Commission recommended an extra $1.7 billion for freeway upgrades — for a total of $4.5 billion in projects funded by state bonds — but stripped away money for highway projects in Fontana and many other small towns and rural areas.

Said S.B. supervisor Josie Gonzales: "I think it's definitely a sign of big government versus small government. As the Inland Empire is becoming a force, we are competing one on one with Los Angeles for the same funds. We are a metropolis in the making, and we are trying not to experience the same problems as Los Angeles."