Today the LA County board voted to deny putting a half-cent tax increase on the November ballot that would helped fund the Subway to Sea, a move that likely is going to prompt a lawsuit by the MTA. Given this fresh drama, some key developments to date. Plus: As of today, that conductor (pictured above) is officially tired of waving to you.
February 16, 2006: A Daily News article that puts the cost of the Subway to Sea at $4.8 billion.
September 13, 2006: Mayor Villaraigosa goes to Washington, D.C. to try and secure the funding for the Subway to Sea.
November 29, 2006: Why does County Supervisor Michael Antonovich hate the Red Line? The LA Times: “County Supervisor (and MTA board member) Michael Antonovich... is a fierce opponent of extending the Red Line subway along Wilshire Boulevard, preferring projects of far lower public value, such as an extension of the Gold Line to the San Gabriel Valley, which would benefit his own constituents.”
September 13, 2007: The Senate votes to lift the ban on federal funding for construction under Wilshire Boulevard west of Western Avenue.
January 10, 2008: Daily News breaks the news that the Metro agency has been conducting a super-secret poll, asking 1,200 voters if they'd support a sales tax hike to help pay for things like the Subway to the Sea and pot hole-fixing.
January 29, 2008: City Council hears testimony today on funding of the city's transportation plan...Councilmember Wendy Greuel (CD2) noted LA has been without a plan to tackle traffic for 20 years.
February 27, 2008: California assemblymember Mike Feuer introduces a package of transportation legislation, including a provision authorizing an additional 0.5% sales tax in Los Angeles County upon the approval of the voters. This revenue would pay for projects in MTA´s Long Range Transportation Plan, to which the downtown to Santa Monica subway is likely to be added.
Monday, March 3, 2008: Web sites now can proclaim their support to Subway to Sea via a "badge."
March 27, 2008: WeHoans residents gather for meeting: "The 20 people that testified were near unanimous in supporting more rail for L.A. County. There was also strong support for a Subway to the Sea alignment that runs along Santa Monica Boulevard."
May 8, 2008: Curbed asks philanthropist Eli Broad to fund a Subway to Sea. Polite response from PR office: Sorry.
June 4, 2008: Curbed poll: 88.8% of you would vote for a 1/2-cent sales tax increase to fund the Subway to the Sea.
July 21, 2008: MTA CEO Roger Snoble talks up possibility of two Beverly Hills red line stops: Wilshire/La Cienega, Wilshire/Robertson, Wilshire/Beverly Drive, and Century City (which is not really Beverly Hills).
July 24, 2008: Thirteen-member Metro Board overwhelmingly authorizes a half-cent sales tax increase to be placed on the November 4 ballot. Next step: getting the state legislature to authorize it, which Mayor Villaraigosa says he's confident will happen soon.
August 5, 2008: Subway To Sea Dream Denied: County Board Rejects Sales Tax
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