Tons of Downtowners Want to Vote on Special Streetcar Tax

Officials behind the proposed Downtown streetcar announced today they've registered an impressive amount of voters for the special election that could approve funding for half the project and likely ensure its built. Currently, residents and certain business owners near the proposed South Park-to-Civic Center route are considering taxing themselves by creating a Community Facilities District to fund about half of the $125 million streetcar. According to a press release, "The vast majority of Downtown condominium units would be charged $100 or less per year, with a median cost of $60 annually." And it adds that: "Within the boundaries of the proposed Streetcar Community Facilities District ... the number of registered voters increased from 7,497 on May 21, 2012 to 10,283 on November 1, 2012, a 37.2 percent increase." Voter registration in the rest of DTLA only went up 14.7 percent during that same time period, while LA County registration only grew 6.7 percent. LA Streetcar, the group in charge of the streetcar project, has been holding all kinds of outreach events to educate potential voters--they've had meetings and presentations, a "Taste of Streetcar" event, and a Goonies screening at the new Grand Park. Ballots on the streetcar tax will be counted on December 3 and, like most tax increases in California, including Metro's Measure J, it needs a two-thirds supermajority to pass.
· LA Streetcar [Official Site]
· Downtown Streetcar Archives [Curbed LA]