We contacted Los Angeles County’s congressional delegation to see where each member stood on transportation issues. Here are some of their comments. 

Travelers await the train's arrival (Beth Bolas)

1. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other transportation advocates want to build 30 years’ worth of projects in 10 years. What is your position on America Moving Forward?

Sen. Barbara Boxer, Democrat: This initiative will improve the local economy by creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, reduce carbon pollution emissions, and ease traffic congestion.

The 30/10 Initiative would speed up delivery of the transit projects funded by a local sales tax measure passed by the people of LA so those projects can be funded over 10 rather than 30 years -- hence the name "30/10 initiative." In essence, the federal government would front-load the funds, knowing that the revenues are coming to repay the U.S. Treasury at virtually no risk to federal taxpayers.

I have been looking at ways to build this type of leveraging with the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act -- also known as TIFIA. According to the Federal Highway Administration, every dollar made available through TIFIA can mobilize up to a total of $30 in transportation investments.

I support the 30/10 initiative and look forward to working with the Mayor, my colleagues here in the Senate, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to find ways to help not only Los Angeles, but also communities across this nation, use federal assistance to accelerate transportation benefits.

Rep. Xavier Becerra, Democrat-Echo Park: I support the goal of the ‘America Fast Forward’ plan because it has the potential to get us to that vision faster and to create good-paying jobs in this difficult economy.

Rep. Grace Napolitano, Democrat-Norwalk: I support Measure R because it builds 30 years of work in only 10 years. The lower interest rates will save money over the long term because there will not be any inflation rates. However, we do have some concerns. With the new finance plan they need to make sure the projects are done in the 10 years and that we will still have money in the bank for operating funds. The operating funds will be used to maintain public transportation after they are been built.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Republican-Huntington Beach: As long as they are not using federal money they can build what they want and if the local tax payers support it.

Rep. Linda Sánchez, Democrat-Lakewood: I am a supporter of initiatives like America Fast Forward. Transportation and infrastructure projects create jobs and they help build stronger, more vibrant communities, and improve our quality of life.

Rep. Henry Waxman, Democrat-Beverly Hills: The 30/10 plan is bold and visionary. America Fast Forward is a promising initiative to make the ideas being put to work in Los Angeles a model for the country.

2. What is your position on public transportation in your district? What are you doing to rally support for it?

Sen. Boxer: I am a strong supporter of investments in transit as a crucial part of a transformational transportation policy for America.

Rep. Becerra: I have always advocated for a fully integrated and modern transportation system for Southern California, knowing that it must include extensive public transportation options, whether bus or rail.

Rep. Napolitano: I have made it one of my top priorities to improve public transportation. Public transportation gives all people the opportunity to get around the city. I and other advocates think we should increase gas prices to improve the public system. It’s important the public gets funds as well.

Rep. Rohrabacher: Public transportation is a local/regional issue. Not federal. Both the financing and decision making should be at that level and thus as a federal official, I do not interfere with local transportation decision or financing.

Rep. Sánchez: There’s no doubt that we need a stronger public transportation system. I have recently signed on to cosponsor a bill that calls for more high speed rail funding.

Rep. Waxman: I actively supported the passage of Measure R, a ballot initiative to increase sales tax revenue for transportation projects, which is fueling the most ambitious expansion of transit options in the history of the Los Angeles Metro system. A cornerstone of the Metro initiative is the Westside Subway Extension to Westwood and, ultimately, to Santa Monica.

The project will be a tremendous benefit for commuters seeking to access the UCLA campus, the VA hospital, cultural institutions, and scores of businesses and attractions in the area.

Another project of particular significance for the Westside, and the USC community in particular, is the Expo line, which is already underway. I am committed to working for vigorous federal funding to complete the Measure R projects, which will enhance accessibility, safety, and livability across the region.

3. Do you favor or oppose the bill proposed by the Transportation Committee Chairman Mica in July? What changes, if any, would you like to see?

Sen. Boxer: While there are many things we agree on, locking in these drastic cuts in transportation over six years is a recipe for large job losses.

Rep. Becerra: While some in Congress are intent on divesting in the very assets that made America what it is today, I hope to see a final bill on the House Floor that meets our nation’s massive need for new investments in and maintenance to our aging transportation infrastructure.

Rep. Napolitano: There was no bill actually proposed. It was only a blue print. Currently we do not have a position on the proposal. A major concern of ours is the amount of funding. The bill would cut a lot of funding for transportation and people would lose jobs. Chairman Mica’s bill will only get $230 billion in six years instead of the $550 billion over six years stated in the previous bill. $230 billion is not sufficient to maintain and improve transportation.

Rep. Rohrabacher: I do not sit on that committee of jurisdiction and therefore am not in a position to comment on a bill I haven’t seen. If the bill is presented before the House as a whole for a vote, I will review before voting on it.

Rep. Sánchez: Chairman Mica’s bill is very short-sighted. We need a more robust bill, not one that cuts back by 35 percent.

Rep. Waxman: At this time, Chairman Mica has put forward a proposal that is still very general. My main concern is that $230 billion is woefully insufficient to support our nation’s infrastructure needs over the next 6 years and could slow economic and job growth. Although the proposal appears to endorse innovative financing mechanisms that could help leverage local tax revenues, like Measure R funds to speed up construction of transit projects, the Republican leadership has also proposed eliminating or severely cutting core federal programs that support transit services and the construction of new transit rail projects.

4. Public transportation projects cost a lot of money. How do you justify spending so much money on the projects?

Sen. Boxer: Surface transportation improvements will create jobs in the construction industry, which has been especially hard hit by the economic downturn. Nationwide, the construction industry has lost 130,000 jobs in the past year. Today there are nearly 2 million unemployed construction workers in the United States.

Transit projects not only create jobs, but they also support long-term economic growth. People and businesses are attracted to areas with transit connections, and investments in public transit bring increased economic activity. Communities across the nation are reaping the benefits of transit-oriented development - from New Jersey, where a recent report found that the new Hudson-Bergen light-rail line has spurred more than $5 billion in development, to Texas, where the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system has generated more than $4 billion in economic development projects since 1999 and has transformed the urban landscape of Dallas.

A congressionally mandated report in 2008 called for investments of up to at least $225 billion annually over the next 50 years at all levels of government to bring our existing surface transportation infrastructure to a good state of repair. All combined, our States, cities and the Federal Government are spending 40 percent less than that amount.

Rep. Becerra: It is critical that we see increased funding for this plan in any transportation authorization which makes its way to President Obama for his signature.

Rep. Napolitano: With public transportation there is a user fee system where the users pay to use the transportation. Gas taxes go into improving roads and transportation infrastructures. If we put money into transportation that will create jobs and commerce will improve. It’s a multiplier effect.

Rep. Rohrabacher: I don’t.

Rep. Sánchez: We have to invest in our infrastructure. If we allow our transportation system to crumble, we will do serious damage to our economic future. We can do serious damage to our safety as well by underfunding our infrastructure, as the I-35 bridge collapse in Minnesota in 2007 demonstrated.

Rep. Waxman: A robust mass transit system is essential for a high-density area like Los Angeles. Mitigating congestion on our roadways not only improves our local economy, our air quality, and quality of life, but it has national significance by enhancing goods movement. The ports in our area account for nearly a quarter of all U.S. export container traffic and more than 40% of import traffic, at least half of which is transported to other areas of the country by truck. The benefits by all measures are significant.

5. What are you doing to push funding for public transportation during the time when the nation is in a debt crisis?

Sen. Boxer: In these tough economic times, we know we have to reduce the deficit. That is why support is growing among businesses and communities, as well as on Capitol Hill, for expanding TIFIA and other programs that stretch the limited dollars we have available for these important projects.

A great country must keep up investment in infrastructure. According to a report by the Council of Economic Advisors, the U.S. currently spends 2 percent of GDP on infrastructure, a 50 percent decline from 1960. Meanwhile, China is spending close to 9 percent of its GDP on infrastructure. The underinvestment in infrastructure has led to a crumbling transportation system that the American Society of Civil Engineers gave a "D" on their 2009 "Report Card for America's Infrastructure." This is not the grade a world leader with an infrastructure system for the 21st Century would receive.

The current transportation authorization bill, SAFETEA-LU, expires on Sept. 30, and it remains our goal to complete a new authorization this year. My committee has begun the authorization process with hearings in Washington, D.C., and in California in the past year. We have heard from mayors and county supervisors, state departments of transportation, air quality experts, business and labor leaders and other stakeholders. We will continue to make sure all points of view are considered.

I have worked with the bipartisan leadership of the Environment and Public Works Committee to develop a set of principles for the next bill, which will be titled "MAP 21" (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century). These principles include improving safety, facilitating the efficient movement of people and goods, and reducing congestion and its impacts.

Rep. Napolitano: Congresswoman supports the increase in taxes even though it’s very unlikely that congress will actually raise taxes. The public actually believes that public transportation funding is beneficial because the public voted two years ago and approved Measure R with a 2/3 majority. The public knows this is good for the economy and the city.

Rep. Rohrabacher: I am not in support of “pushing” more federal funding.

Rep. Sánchez: Our federal government can certainly trim the fat from our budget, but we shouldn’t make the deep cuts in essential programs that Republicans are proposing.

Rep. Waxman: Our nation cannot achieve long-term economic growth with draconian short-term cuts that would stifle infrastructure investment. I opposed H.R. 1, the Republican budget proposal, which would have slashed more than $18 billion from transportation and infrastructure investments and threaten more than 300,000 American jobs in the transportation sector. The national debt is a serious issue, but it cannot be solved with spending cuts alone.

6. What do you envision Southern California’s transportation system to look like in 30 years?

Sen. Boxer: I am particularly interested in addressing traffic congestion, which slows down the movement of people and goods and contributes to poor air quality and global warming pollution.

According to the California Air Resources Board, approximately 75 percent of diesel particulate emissions in California are related to goods movement. Freight transportation is still largely driven by fossil fuel combustion. With combustion comes emission of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and particulate matter.

In addition, CARB has attributed thousands of premature deaths to diesel emissions and estimates that the cumulative health costs of diesel emissions are tens of billions of dollars.

We need to find ways to reduce congestion and alleviate transportation bottlenecks even as our population continues to grow, placing new and greater demands on existing transportation systems. Transit will be a vital part of the solution. According to the most recent Texas Transportation Institute report on congestion, public transportation saved travelers 541 million hours in travel time and 340 million gallons of fuel in 2005.

Rep. Napolitano: I see Los Angeles having more transit options in the future. There should be more fixed railways and buses and we should widen the highways. There is a car culture in Los Angeles and it’s important that we decrease the congestion on the highway.

Rep. Rohrabacher: It will look a lot like what we have today, except all modes of transportation will be electric. Cars, buses, trains, etc. Perhaps more elevated streetcar systems instead of subways and the private sector will be more involved in the development. We’ll see fewer trucks on the roads because we’ll have more efficient, dedicated systems to transport cargo from the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

Rep. Sánchez: Hopefully, we’ll be looking at a strong transportation system-- one where roads and highways are well-maintained, freeways are less congested, and public transit vehicles are more fuel efficient and utilize renewable energy.

Rep. Waxman: Los Angeles County has embarked on a bold expansion of the transit system that opens up tremendous new possibilities to improve connectivity over the next 30 years and beyond. There is a lot of enthusiasm to expand ridership in the system, and I look forward to seeing more and more Los Angeles using the Metro system.

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Interviews conducted by Megan Caldwell, Jenna DeNight, Alexis Porter, Edward Murillo, Moriah Grant and Max Schwartz.

Editor's note: Minors corrections were made on Aug. 31 to the second and third quotes by Rep. Rohrabacher to correct typographical errors.

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