Gold Line Foothill Extension: Antonovich takes on Snoble
Everybody is writing letters these days or talking about the proposed Gold Line Foothill Extension in the San Gabriel Valley.
Earlier this week, I posted about Rep. David Dreier campaigning to get Metro to fork over $80 million in funding for the line so that $320 million in federal funding can be sought to push the line to Azusa.
Yesterday, I posted about Metro CEO Roger Snoble sending a letter to Dreier, telling him that federal funding is hardly a sure thing and that Gold Line proponents would be better off backing the half-cent sales tax increase proposal Metro is trying to get on the Nov. 4. ballot
Today's letter comes from Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who writes to Snoble and tells him he heard differently from federal officials about their willingness to fund the Foothill Extension:
Dear Mr. Snoble,
The information in your letter to Congressman David Dreier is not consistent with what I was told last month when I was in Washington D.C. meeting with the Secretary of Transportation and the Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration. Both made it quite clear that the reason the Gold Line Foothill Extension project has not been able to progress under the FTA’s “New Starts” program was due to the MTA’s failure to prioritize the project as part of its long-term project list.
By not allowing our Congressional delegation to pursue federal funding for this vital transportation project, you are holding the residents of the San Gabriel Valley hostage for the next 30 years to a flawed sales tax as there only saving grace to fund the extension.
The letter in its entirety is after the jump. All this arguing is likely a bit of a moot point for now -- it doesn't appear that the Metro Board will take up the Gold Line funding issue until after the Nov. 4 election.
