Will Funds Find the Way?

JUNE could usher in a summer of love for the San Gabriel Valley and neighboring southeast Los Angeles County.

Well, at least we certainly hope so.

Leaders in the region are eagerly anticipating key funding votes to swing our way next month – one would continue ground-water cleanup and the other two would extend light-rail into San Bernardino County.

To get a sense of the importance of these votes to the region, just take out your calculators. The right combination of “yes” votes from Washington to Los Angeles would send $461.2 million in additional rail and water funding our way.

That’s a nice chunk of change.

So we would like to take this time to remind San Gabriel Valley and Whittier-region leaders to lobby their representatives as to the importance of funding regional projects, even if their particular city or agency is not directly affected. Regional solutions go a long way toward solving common problems. They also create high- paying jobs for local residents.

Let’s start with water. As Staff Writer Mike Sprague reminded us Wednesday, Reps. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, and Grace Napolitano, D- Santa Fe Springs, are well aware of the need to fund cleanup of the SGV’s polluted ground water basin. That’s why they’ve authorized $50 million in the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund for new treatment plants. Also, another $11.2 million would help the Central Basin Municipal Water District clean up dirty ground water seeping in from the San Gabriel Valley. It’s time for the region to be rid of the stigma of irresponsible defense industry companies that polluted the water table some 60 years ago. Plus, in times of drought and dwindling water supplies, having a potable water supply beneath our feet can come in handy.

Residents can write city councils, which in turn should pass resolutions urging the U.S. Senate – expected to vote in June – to pass this measure. Or readers can send letters of support to Dreier, 233 Cannon HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515; Napolitano, 1610 Longworth Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 and Sen. Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510.

While not every city in our area will see a Gold Line light-rail trolley station in their town, the project is extremely important regionally. Once built, it will take cars off local freeways, reduce air pollution and our carbon footprint. Along the foothills, it will serve five colleges whose students come from all over. Getting students – as well as commuters – to take the train instead of driving the 57, 10 and 210 freeways will ease congestion for everyone.

A completed Gold Line Foothill Extension from east Pasadena to Montclair and eventually to Ontario International Airport, will inject $2billion in transit-oriented housing, jobs, and commerce into the region, according to U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte.

For funding for at least the first part of phase two to be awarded, two things must happen. First, President Bush must sign H.R. 1195, which will authorize what local officials say will be 80 percent of the funding – $320 million in federal matching funds. It has already passed the House and Senate.

Second, and most important, the Metro Board (formerly known as the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) must put the Gold Line Foothill Extension on its critical funding list and commit to operating the line (which it does currently from downtown L.A. to Pasadena). Reps. Dreier and Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, drivers of the federal funding bill, say the Federal Transit Administration expects to see about $80 million from the local agency. That MTA meeting is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on June 26.

Residents and local leaders can write the MTA Board (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, One Gateway Plaza, P.O. Box 194, Los Angeles, CA 90053) in support of the project.

In June, the U.S. Senate, President Bush and the MTA should do more than show the San Gabriel Valley some love for acting on critical water and rail projects. They should show us the money.

(c) 2008 San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.