Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Thread Started on Apr 19, 2011, 7:28pm »
From an email today. Somehow, this time, I don't think he'll have as much pull as he's expecting. Anyone going?
--
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING MEETING TO PREPARE FOR THE DECISION
Thursday, April 20 - 6:30 PM 5760 Crenshaw Blvd US Bank Community Room (corner of Crenshaw/Slauson)
Over the past 4 years we have been engaged in a two front war with Metro: on the back end of the Expo Line and on the front end of the Crenshaw-LAX Line. Even though we began needing to recover significant distance on the Expo Line, we have achieved some victories, but definitely not ultimate success. Well now, the opportunity for ultimate success presents itself to us on the Crenshaw Line.
To date, through our advocacy efforts we have successfully convinced Metro to underground 2 of the 3 miles of the Crenshaw-LAX Light Rail Line that runs through our community on Crenshaw Blvd. But the final mile remains (from 48th to 59th Streets), and the Leimert Park Village station is currently considered "optional" by MTA.
At the April 28th MTA board meeting (info below), MTA Board Member & County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas will be offering a motion to direct Metro staff to find the money to keep the Crenshaw-LAX Line underground the entire portion on Crenshaw Blvd and make the Leimert Park Village station official. Here is the motion (pdf).
LADIES & GENTLEMEN THIS IS IT!
Understand the stakes.
In addition to the safety, traffic and community impact issues, if Metro staff's current street-level plan is allowed, the currently struggling (mostly black-owned) small business economy of Crenshaw Blvd will die from 4-5 years of disruptive street-level construction. It is the type of destruction that typically takes commercial corridors like ours a decade or more recover, if ever.
But if we are able to persuade the Metro Board on April 28th to do right by the Crenshaw community, we will be presented with the single greatest opportunity to economically revitalize our corridor...perhaps ever.
Never before have we gotten so close.
Never before have the stakes been so high.
What we are asking for is unprecedented, but not because it hasn't been done before, rather because it hasn't been done successfully by a community of color typically dismissed by the powers that be.
Right now political forces of resistance, forces that want to spend the money elsewhere are lining up against us.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
The first step is for us to get organized. And so we're calling an emergency organizing meeting this Wednesday to get everyone up to speed on the issue, impacts and political landscape, and get ready for the most important vote on the future of Crenshaw Blvd. After Wednesday's meeting we will send more instructions on how you can help.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE DECISION
MTA VOTE ON CRENSHAW SUBWAY & LEIMERT PARK VILLAGE STATION
Thursday, April 28 - 9 AM MTA Headquarters 1 Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Tall building behind Union Station)
RSVP to crenshaw@fixexpo.org (Bus transportation will be provided)
Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #3 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:45am »
He's attempting to pull the race card again and again - using "black owned", "people of color" and any other catch phrase he thinks will raise the ire of his targets.
What he fails to realize is that when no grievance has been committed, much less one due to race or color, attempting to use these terms for his own selfish means makes him look like what he is: a disgusting, self serving, sham man.
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #5 on Apr 20, 2011, 9:07am »
If Damien and Supervisor Ridley-Thomas want this grade-separated, I'd be willing to support an aerial segment through Park Mesa Heights. But of course, this will not fly.
MRT and Damien are in the mindset of getting everything they can for "their community". The problem with this rhetoric is it comes off as greedy, and very hostile to everybody outside of "their community".
If Metro is going to build tunnels, there are much better places to put them, than the wide boulevard south of Leimert Park.
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #6 on Apr 20, 2011, 10:20am »
I'm posting this, in case anybody else feels like sending emails to the Metro Board.
Contact emails for the Metro Board members are not always easy to find. I found ten of them, but could not find three.
Here are the ten I found:
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor Gloria Molina, Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council Member Diane DuBois, City Council Member Pam O'Connor, City Council Member Ara Najarian, City Council Member José Huizar, City Council Member John Fasana,
And here are the three I could not find.
Supervisor Don Knabe Mr. Mel Wilson Mr. Richard Katz
« Last Edit: Apr 20, 2011, 10:24am by metrocenter »
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #7 on Apr 20, 2011, 1:18pm »
Let me add to my previous silly comment and say that I'm actually quite sympathetic to the idea of tunnels or even elevated segments.
Not because of environmental/ racial justice or anything stupid like that but because tunnels are faster and safer for all involved.
However, I am also fully aware that funding (and public support for spending the money to do these things) is a huge issue. I'd rather have a system which went LOTS of place at-grade than have an all-underground system which goes few places.
To build widespread public support for rail transit funding, you have to show them a rail transit system which goes where they are.
It's frustrating to think of it this way, but you essentially have to have a working light rail/ streetcar system in place first, give the public a chance to "convert" and only then go about replacing bottlenecks — which is what seems to be happening with the Regional Connector (where people are just now realizing that there's a broken link in the heart of downtown), and I suspect will eventually happen with the tracks on Flower and Washington.
Damien's ideology is too shallow, and too narrowly focused, to allow for this natural, slow-moving process of transit evolution to occur.
« Last Edit: Apr 20, 2011, 1:20pm by James Fujita »
On the other hand, a fully-grade separated Crenshaw Line would be much faster and probably more attractive to the average commuter.
How much faster would it be and how much more are you willing to pay to make it that fast?
At-grade rail doesn't have to be slow. It doesn't automatically mean it's going to be slow. With signal preemption and carefully designed stops, the speed differential dwindles. Unfortunately, getting signal preemption is not as easy as it should be.
There's another solution for speed that's cheaper than a tunnel though, but I don't think that will fly with the environmental justice crowd
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #9 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:12pm »
^ The staff report says a tunnel would reduce total travel time by about 1 minute. At a cost of nearly 1/4 billion dollars.
I have no doubt Goodmon's message will resonate with whoever showed up to his gathering in Park Mesa tonight. It's easy to rile people up by appeal to fear and racial sensitivities, combined with the natural NIMBYism of many homeowners.
But for this motion to get approved, it will have to get a majority of votes at the Measure R Committee tomorrow, followed by a majority of votes from the full Metro Board next week.
I seriously doubt the motion will pass. The Board is quite diverse - ethnically, geographically and politically. The board members' interests (and the interests of their constituents) are also very diverse. Ultimately, most of the board members will not be swayed by MRT's arguments: they will just see the high cost with little benefit, and they will vote no.
« Last Edit: Apr 20, 2011, 8:45pm by metrocenter »
Joined: Mar 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,597 Location: Carson
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #10 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:39pm »
IMO the argument for below grade on crenshaw is essentially the same argument successfully made by the residents of little tokyo for the below grade wye, which saves no time and the cost of which is likely a big part of why there won't be the station on 5th/flower as originally planned.
« Last Edit: Apr 20, 2011, 8:40pm by bluelineshawn »
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #11 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:52pm »
^ The issue isn't a subway below Crenshaw: that's already going to happen. The issue is whether or not to tunnel under Crenshaw in Park Mesa Heights, where the boulevard is very wide and not at all congested.
Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #12 on May 25, 2011, 2:25pm »
From a mailer today... --
This is major breaking news. We've just been informed that a 3rd pivotal MTA board member vote has been secured for the Mark Ridley-Thomas motion to underground the entirety of the Crenshaw-LAX Line on Crenshaw Blvd and add a station at Leimert Park Village. (more info about the motion)
7 votes are needed for the motion to pass, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has 4 votes. That means that all eyes are on the Mayor of Los Angeles. Does he want to forever be known as the Mayor who killed the Crenshaw economy with disruptive street-level rail? Or does he want to be forever known as the Mayor who provided the leadership necessary to present for Crenshaw its greatest opportunity for economic revival ever with a full subway, and for the region a safer faster rail line?
This breaking news increases the importance of YOUR presence at Thursday's MTA Board Meeting. This will be a historic vote.
FINAL REMINDERS
1) If you're attending the board meeting, WEAR A BLACK SHIRT OR BLOUSE as a show of unity.
2) You must RSVP for a seat on the free chartered buses which will depart at 7:30 a.m. from the Crenshaw District at crenshaw@fixexpo.org (Departure location to be given to those who RSVP)
3) If you haven't sent an email to the MTA Board members requesting they support the motion (or you haven't yet requested others send emails), please do so now. Request that they "Please support the Ridley-Thomas motion to keep the Crenshaw-LAX Line underground on Crenshaw Blvd and return the Leimert Park Village station to the project." Send emails to: crenshaw@fixexpo.org and jacksonm@metro.net
4) Please send in all comment cards you have in your possession today to ensure they are included in the record. You can fax to: 323-761-6435 or email to: crenshaw@fixexpo.org
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #13 on May 25, 2011, 3:05pm »
It will be very interesting to hear whether or not Mayor Villaraigosa indeed favors the motion and is willing to order his three other votes (Huizar, Wilson and Katz) to push this through. I kinda doubt it. With less than 24 hours until the vote, 3/13 verified votes is a pretty weak position for the pro-tunnel contingent.
Also, notice that FixExpo/Goodmon doesn't say who the other two votes are: so far, the only board member publicly supporting the motion is MRT himself. For all we know, the other two may actually be Villaraigosa appointees, which would mean their situation is even more dire than this letter suggests.
Contact emails for the Metro Board members were not easy to find. I found ten of them, but could not find three.
Here are the ten I found:
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor Gloria Molina, Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council Member Diane DuBois, City Council Member Pam O'Connor, City Council Member Ara Najarian, City Council Member José Huizar, City Council Member John Fasana,
And here are the three I could not find.
Supervisor Don Knabe Mr. Mel Wilson Mr. Richard Katz
Get your emails out today or tonight. This motion would steal funding from the other approved projects, like Expo, the LAX extension, and more. It is absolutely critical to respond to this money grab. We need to send enough messages to the Metro Board to neutralize those from the pro-goldplating crowd.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2011, 3:10pm by metrocenter »
One could expect the Metro board to hold to the budget, as they did in removing the 5th Street station for the Regional Connector - especially as the FY 2012 budget will also be before the board tomorrow.
On who else is supporting MRT, on a past vote Mike Antonovich did. Which is quite ironic considering Antonovich's long history of opposing L.A. subways.
Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #15 on Jun 28, 2011, 1:30pm »
An email today from the newly minted "Crenshaw Subway Coalition" (FixExpo.org):
HOW TO WIN THE BATTLE FOR CRENSHAW Crenshaw Subway Coalition/Fix Expo Community Meeting
Thursday, June 30th 6:30 - 8:30 PM US Bank Community Room on Crenshaw/Slauson 5760 Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90016
So What's Next?
Join us this Thursday as we unveil our strategy for winning the battle for a Crenshaw-LAX Light Rail Line. We will not stop, we will not recede, we will exhaust all options in pursuit of a Crenshaw-LAX Line that is built 100% underground on Crenshaw Blvd, with a station in Leimert Park Village. With important deadlines quickly approaching, this will be our most important meeting yet. We're going to need you to show up and bring your creative energy.
For the Crenshaw Subway Coalition & Fix Expo Campaign, everything is on the table: legal challenges, political pressure, public demonstrations, etc. For four years, we have loudly articulated the unified community voice demanding MTA not repeat the same Expo Line mistakes on the Crenshaw-LAX Line. In addition to the safety and preservation of our community, at stake is Crenshaw Blvd - the last African-American business corridor in all of Southern California and Leimert Park Village - the center of African-American culture. We have come too far as people of color, and a society that values multi-culturalism to surrender. And so we roll up our sleeves and prepare to do the heavy lifting needed to succeed.
At the meeting we will also discuss what actually happened at the May 26th MTA Board Meeting on the Mark Ridley-Thomas motion. There was lots of confusion after the meeting, we hope to clear it up.
So, the red emphasis is mine. He missed "special tax levy on all businesses in the area to help pay for it" - that's an option that never seems to make it to his table.
Wow, I wonder how much they want the Crenshaw Line to eventually cost. At some point, will Metro say, "No mas. It's too expensive."?
This is probably a pretty desperate attempt. I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if he went with a lawsuit. I really hope that this EIR can be certified and a favorable contract can be signed quickly so a Leimert station could be built. Lets hope Goodmon doesn't keep that from happening. The MTA already has this project listed in its Measure R tracker as a potential cost problem.
Joined: Jun 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 413 Location: Silverlake
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #18 on Jun 28, 2011, 5:29pm »
So far it seems Mr. Goodman has cost Los Angeles money and time, and it seems to go on and on. He has slowed the growth of rail in this city with his unique "vision" or whatever you would call it. Can someone have their stakeholder status revoked?
So far it seems Mr. Goodman has cost Los Angeles money and time, and it seems to go on and on. He has slowed the growth of rail in this city with his unique "vision" or whatever you would call it. Can someone have their stakeholder status revoked?
I think he is in a tough spot here. Any major disruptions like a lawsuit could really endanger this line not to mention the Leimert station because of its budget problems. Delays on the line caused by him could actually be counterproductive to getting grade separation and the Leimert station. This is the last project that is in Goodmon's domain. I wonder if he is going to continue protesting projects like the Westside Subway to get his name and agenda out there.
Not many people outside this corridor really can give two hoots about this line. It really isn't going to attract a regional ridership even with a LAX connection. People Downtown are going to take Flyaway and the line is too far East to attract people in Westside centers like Century City, Westwood, and Santa Monica. Keeping this line from starting construction, which should be within the next year is just going to upset people along the corridor.
I usually like to explore areas by rail that I would not normally go to like the Eastside with the Gold Line, but when I hear Goodmon's description of the area it doesn't sound too welcoming. Describing the area as being more deserving because it is a center of African American business is wrong. Not sure how Crenshaw is more deserving than Vermont, because Vermont is more of a mix of Latino and African American people and businesses?
Hopefully, when this line gets built, I'll have an inkling to check out Leimert Village. If not, I'll probably ride the line once and never get out.
I think he is in a tough spot here. Any major disruptions like a lawsuit could really endanger this line not to mention the Leimert station because of its budget problems. Delays on the line caused by him could actually be counterproductive to getting grade separation and the Leimert station. This is the last project that is in Goodmon's domain. I wonder if he is going to continue protesting projects like the Westside Subway to get his name and agenda out there.
Keeping this line from starting construction, which should be within the next year is just going to upset people along the corridor.
Especially if it's tied to a local jobs program that MRT wants to include in the betterments motion, that will all but distance MRT from Damien. MRT will be in a bigger bind with this constituency but politically its the right move for the great good of LA County by tying the jobs-local hire component. If this project is delayed, then theres no local workers who will have the money to spend in Leimert Park for lunch and after work when the line is under construction. During the East LA Gold Line construction, King Taco at the Maravilla Station was filled every lunchtime with builders working on the LRT.
« Last Edit: Jun 28, 2011, 11:02pm by JerardWright »
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #21 on Jun 29, 2011, 8:17am »
I give Ridley-Thomas credit on his latest motion. Yes, it will provide a good number of benefits to his community. But more importantly, it neutralizes a lot of the self-righteous anger that was growing among many people, by providing a way to claim and accept partial success.
Effectively, the hold-outs (like Goodmon) will be split off from the main group, and isolated as outside the mainstream. Face it, MRT is a politician, with lots of constituents, most of whom are not militant extremists. He has to protect his image as the sober (some say dull, but anyway) community leader.
Of course Goodmon wins too by "keeping it real" and not giving in. He can put this on his "give the finger to the man" resumé, for use the next time the government tries to screw over his community by locating a transit project there.
Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #22 on Jun 30, 2011, 1:52pm »
MRT and Goodmon are pushing for Metro to give money to the local business owners to compensate them for their trouble.
Should it pass, I can only imagine the fun Metro would have with that precedent with Red Line construction - as well as the bad blood from others who were not compensated.
MRT continues to paint himself as the champion of the area, but his selfishly clueless antics always manage to alienate the rest of the county.
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #23 on Jul 1, 2011, 8:32am »
This kind of business impact fund is not unprecedented, even here in L.A. I don't have a problem with it, per se. But the devil is in the details.
In particular, the idea of direct cash payouts concerns me. If this is going to happen, there must be an objective review process in place (independent if possible), set up in advance to everyone's satisfaction, to prevent payment for claims that are fraudulent or undeserved.
Joined: Jun 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 380 Location: Montréal, QC (Canada)
Re: Goodmon oozing his bile again... « Reply #24 on Jul 18, 2011, 6:29am »
From email today:
--
EMERGENCY MEETING: PREPARING TO SUE MTA Crenshaw Subway Coalition Community Meeting
Today Monday, July 18 6:30 - 8:30 PM US Bank Community Room on Crenshaw/Slauson 5760 Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90016
[PLEASE BRING YOUR CHECKBOOKS]
MTA is Trying to Speed Up the Game Clock
(Forgive the incredibly short notice, but we are in part responding to MTA's unprecedented attempt to vote to approve the project 7 weeks sooner than legally permissible.)
Attendees of our June 30th meeting were first informed of two elements of our multi-faceted strategy to win the battle with MTA for an underground Leimert Park Village station and subway on Crenshaw Blvd:
1. Holding our elected officials from Congress down to City Council and the Mayor accountable for delivering more of our tax dollars to the Crenshaw-LAW project to fund the Leimert Park Village station and subway in Park Mesa Heights
2. Suing Metro in court for violating environmental and civil rights laws
At tonight's community meeting we will further explain the legal basis for a lawsuit, in particular the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that MTA is violating.
The importance of tonight's meeting increased a few days ago when it was revealed that MTA is attempting to "speed up the game clock" and approve the project at their August 4 board meeting as opposed to their September 22 board meeting. (After MTA approves the project, the window of opportunity to file a CEQA lawsuit is JUST 30 DAYS.)
In our review of every other transit study of similar nature over the past decade, MTA provided a 30 day public review period and multiple community meetings after the final project document was released to provide citizens an opportunity to, at the very least, go on the record to express their concerns. There are even federal requirements for a 30 day public review period. And yet as of this morning, just 17 days from August 4, MTA still has not released the final project document for review. They haven't even given it to the elected officials or fellow public agencies!
This is just the latest greatest display of disrespect of our community and egregious violation by MTA and partially why we believe that a legal challenge is key to our victory. It will make MTA more likely to concede the Leimert Park Village station and Park Mesa Heights tunnel. As was clear in the lead up to the May 26th MTA board vote. MTA has the money to build the project the way the community desires, they just currently lack the will. Simply, MTA's draft document is legally flawed, the basis for Metro staff, Mayor Villaraigosa and wanna-be Mayor Zev Yaroslavsky's opposition to the Leimert Park Village station and Park Mesa Heights tunnel is flawed, and if MTA had conducted a proper environmental study both designs would be in the project.
There will be more to come after tonight's meeting, but for now, please hear our urgent appeal for generous donations so that we can fund a legal challenge. Lawyers are interested, but because this type of law is a true specialty - there will be costs.
The leaders of the Crenshaw Subway Coalition and Fix Expo Campaign have adopted as a policy to only ask the community for financial support when we need it - and now is that time.
As has become clear both in our fight with MTA on the Expo Line crossing at Dorsey High School and in other project fights with MTA by other communities, the agency/board does not begin taking communities seriously until lawyers get involved.
A CEQA lawsuit is the stick we need to accompany the carrot in our battle with MTA on the Crenshaw-LAX Line.
Please send your donations to:
Crenshaw Subway Coalition P.O. Box 432181 Los Angeles, CA 90043
ANY donation is greatly appreciated, but generous donations are much needed. Checks can also be hand delivered at our meeting tonight, or you can make a secure online payment with your debit card or credit card via PayPal at www.CrenshawSubway.org
New Websites are Coming to FixExpo.org & CrenshawSubway.org
Please excuse our down time as we upgrade the FixExpo.org website and create a new CrenshawSubway.org website to take both campaigns into the next stage of progress. In the interim you can receive frequent updates by becoming a Fan of our Facebook page and following us on Twitter. That's also where we will first announce the launch of the new sites, and where we first announce our community meetings.
Crenshaw Subway Coalition // P.O. Box 432181, Los Angeles 90043 // Phone & Fax: (323) 761-6435
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