Letters to the Editor: Stop Uncontrolled Spending; 710 Deceit

Don't miss it!  At 8:30 a.m. Thursday the will meet in chambers to review the city's financial condition, look at five year projections, and make midyear adjustments to the budget. Will dubious projections justify uncontrolled spending or will necessary spending cuts be made?  The show has come to LCF.  Stand with our city council in the battle against budget bulge!  Otherwise our city will continue spending money it doesn't have on things we don't need or want.

Last week's " showed what we are up against: local sales tax revenues going to a regional transportation authority, Metro, and a state highway agency, CalTrans, to build a section of federal highway that nobody wants except union leaders.  Local tax revenues are drying up.

Inflation is skyrocketing as evidenced by the growth of so many city budget lines, lines already overspent without council approval.  County, state and federal are passing expenses on down to the local level.  Reserves have been depleted dealing with physical and economic disasters.  Our city is vulnerable.  Will LCF go the way of LCUSD, ignoring the signs until it finds itself in a deep financial hole?  

Maybe a few voices can't make much difference in the federal and state budget battles. A few voices can make huge difference at the local level.  We can win this battle against uncontrolled spending if you will just come and let your voice be heard!

James Stoker, LCF

710 Expansion - Their Minds Are Made Up

If 'no decision has been made about the 710', according to Garrett Damrath Caltrans rep working with Metro, as was stated in the interview after the La Cañada Flintridge meeting ( how come Metro on their own site (2/2/10) stated: "Metro has completed the feasibility assessment of a tunnel alternative to extend the 710 Freeway from its current terminus at Valley Boulevard in the City of Los Angeles to 1-210 in the City of Pasadena."

They don't mention anything about examining a route neutral course or actually evaluating zero emission alternatives.

Also at one of the Metro Board meetings Gloria Molina stated, "We all know where the tunnel is going" and she indicated the same "Meridian route" as stated above.

And the paid pro freeway tunnel lobbyist Nat Read has given the visuals for the predetermined route on his website. http://www.710gap.com/

This is why "we" make the accusation they "have their minds made up.''

Can you blame us for distrust when we have experienced deceit for 40 years from the reps of the entities we are dealing with?

Back when it was a surface route they promised no trucks at the meetings in South Pasadena then completely fliped their responses at meetings in other cities, and said that there would be trucks.

They float this same lie today- they try to claim the tunnel is for local traffic relief, for commuters - (beyond the fact that that is not even logical) but if you read the papers in Long Beach, the purpose of the tunnel is for trucks.
http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/metro-transportation-projects-2011/

Carol Kramer, Los Angeles