Excerpted from the California Walks Blog, by Caro Jauregui
Partners from across Los Angeles County have been working in a collective effort to ensure transportation investments meaningfully reach and address the health, safety, and mobility needs of low-income communities in Los Angeles County. And with the region considering a potential sales tax ballot measure for the November 2016 ballot, there is a tremendous opportunity to address social equity as this new potential revenue – some estimate will be over $100 billion in public funds – will be allocated.
Since November 2015, the various Councils of Government (COGs) across the county have outlined, approved, and submitted their priorities for the potential ballot measure to LA Metro, which is coordinating the sales tax measure.
Our allies at California Walks who have been most engaged with the Gateway Cities Council of Governments in southeast Los Angeles County, share their perspective on the COG’s recent recommendation to not allocate any funds to active transportation in their transportation priorities. This perspective especially resonates with us as California Walks staffer Caro does not have access to a car and is a resident of this subregion – Caro lives in Whittier.