MTA Board Meeting on North Cities Seat

On December 6, 2012 the League of California Cities, Los Angeles Division City Selection Committee held its regular meeting to, among other things, confirm the nomination of Ara Najarian to the seat on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors.
Such confirmations have historically been pro forma ratifications. The Najarian nomination came from the North County Cities Sector at meeting held this past October. North County Cities represent one-million residents.
The MTA Board includes one representative from the San Gabriel Valley Cities, West Side Cities, Gateway Cities, and North County Cities.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies. It serves as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder, and operator for one of the country’s largest, most populous counties. More than 9.6 million people – nearly one-third of California’s residents – live, work, and play within its 1,433-square-mile service area. Ara Najarian has consistently worked with communities to ensure an efficient and effective transportation system for the greater Los Angeles area.
Najarian has been active in seeking an alternative to the construction of a 5 mile, 10 billion dollar tunnel extending the 710 Freeway that impacts North County Cities.
Stung by his effective organizing and vocal opposition to the tunnel, many San Gabriel Valley Cities did not vote to confirm Najarian’s selection from his regional cities of Glendale, Burbank, La Canada, San Fernando, Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale. Although Najarian received a majority of numerical city votes, he fell short of the majority for the population weighted vote.
Ironically, Najarian has been a leading supporter of the San Gabriel Valley’s most important transportation project, the Gold Line light rail. It was during his term as MTA Chairman that the Gold Line was unanimously included in the MTA Long Range Transportation Plan and significant funding obtained for its construction.
Through the established process, Ara Najarian will work with the North County / San Fernando Valley Sector to convene a meeting, receive another nomination to the seat and be successful in a vote to confirm his selection.
Although Ara Najarian continues his efforts to identify an alternative to the construction of a 5 mile, 10 billion dollar tunnel extending the 710 Freeway that impacts North County Cities, we believe that these efforts also bring to light the importance of strong representation on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors. Ara Najarian has consistently proven that he works to improve an efficient and effective transportation system not only for the North County Cities but for the communities throughout Los Angeles County.

More from Arcadia Weekly