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Post by kenalpern on Dec 25, 2007 12:18:59 GMT -8
From CityWatch, a Los Angeles website/blog for grassroots neighborhood councils and groups to provide input for City and regional issues. Quote of the Month Coffin’s Corner By David Coffin “I don’t see any connection between SCAG and the real world.” Councilman Bill Rosendahl on SCAG’s plans for 2008. We’re in agreement with that. SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments) is an agency that sets housing allocations and transportation policies that cities must meet and it’s living in a different world. The agency is currently is being sued by the city of Palmdale because the city cannot meet SCAG’s 17,910 housing requirement for numerous practical reasons. According to SCAG, over 40 percent of this housing must be low and very low income families. This allocation may require Palmdale to rezone some undeveloped property in Palmdale to high-density multi-family residential to comply with SCAG’s demands. In March, the city appealed the SCAG decision, asserting that readily developable property was not available to accommodate such a large increase in population. The city also argued that due to a lack of industry and jobs in this area, the large increase demanded by SCAG would necessitate more people to commute, causing worsening traffic conditions on the Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14). SCAG denied the city’s appeal. … and, the city is suing. (This opinion piece was posted first on the www.WestchesterParents.org on December 13. David Coffin is a writer, an education activist and a member of the Neighborhood of Westerchester-Playa del Rey.)_
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Post by James Fujita on Dec 25, 2007 22:14:45 GMT -8
I myself have often wondered about SCAG's sometimes perpendicular connection to reality. on the one hand, the regional value of an organization such as SCAG is undeniable. without regional cooperation, Metrolink would not be possible. transportation is definately a regional issue. on the other hand, SCAG is one of the strongest proponents of Maglev, which has the potential to royally screw up regional transportation plans. so yeah.... works great in theory, doesn't always work out so well in practice.
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Post by kenalpern on Dec 26, 2007 13:34:20 GMT -8
Perhaps the answer is leadership and operating-paradigm change at SCAG, so that its leaders are in lockstep with the rest of local, county, state and federal political efforts.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Dec 27, 2007 11:09:42 GMT -8
There is no regionally elected body directly accountable to voters. Plus, with only 5 supervisors for 10 million people, L.A. County government is unbelievably remote and unrepresentative as it is.
I think SCAG definitely has a function. But there are problems with governance at all levels of California Government. We also have only 80 Assemblymembers for almost 36 million people, a ration of one for every 450,000 people (more than ten times the national median).
Small elected bodies doesn't mean cost savings, it means less representative and accountable government.
BART has a multi-county elected board.
An elected SCAG or even an elected MTA would be a major culture change.
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Post by kenalpern on Dec 27, 2007 15:00:17 GMT -8
Well said, Dan! I can't help but hope that SCAG will improve now that Mr. Pisano is on his way out. What a shame.
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Post by Transit Coalition on Dec 27, 2007 19:06:04 GMT -8
First, despite some bazaar policies SCAG has pursued such as Magnetic Levitation, (ScagLev), things are changing. Mark Pisano, long time SCAG Executive Director retires at the end of 2007 and becomes a Professor at USC (no, he's not going to the James E. Moore II Institute of Concrete, Asphalt and Rebar), teaching intergovernmental relations.
With Mark gone, I believe things are going to change for the better. SCAG is governed by a huge body of elected officials. They are all elected and the ones that show up are from mostly our smaller cities.
Any type of elected Board at Metro or BART is a call for disaster. In fact, the BART Board is a true example of fraud, public waste and worse. Think stub end extension to SFO airport. Think of the run down BART system that doesn't start until 8 a.m. Sunday mornings and ends service just after midnight. Just because you are elected does not mean you are competent. Look at the LAUSD payroll computer disaster. The $100 million system was approved by the Board, and you know what a boondoggle it has been.
SCAG will be better off without the Magical Thinking that MagLev will solve the regional air quality dilemma. The new regional plan is much more grounded and logical from those of us who wondered what was being smoked in the executive suite.
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Post by nickv on Dec 27, 2007 20:24:33 GMT -8
I just read one of his OpEd pieces this morning in the LA Times "How to get from here to there?" . Sounds very optimistic and positive, but certainly faith based transit. I could certainly imagine a clean, safe, (not necessarily all-elevated), high speed transit system traversing throughout the southland, but let's keep it to steel wheels on rails. The Wilshire Monorail Analysis Web site pretty much explains why. What is the volume of riders each monorail car can handle during rush hour, specifically the I-405 through the Pass or SR 91 between the Inland Empire and OC? What would be the maintenance cost? How much for track switches and their maintenance? Are over-the-counter replacements parts available or would they have to be manufactured when required? Will the visual impact of an all-elevated structure affect the surrounding areas? How long will the rubber tires last on a high speed monorail considering that Disneyland's Rocket Rods had to have the tires changed every 4-7 days? ........................ Imagine an elevated futureBy Mark Pisano Imagine clean, safe, elevated, high-speed monorails traversing alongside Southern California freeways. Some view that concept as science fiction, but the technology exists. We already own the necessary right of way. And, with some visionary thinking, we have the ability to make such a system a reality through a partnership between government and the private sector. The Southern California Assn. of Governments already has received a proposal from a private consortium to finance and implement this type of system. There's no single "silver bullet" solution to solving Southern California's traffic woes. But a high-speed monorail that builds on our existing transportation network to better connect our residential, employment and trade centers could serve as the centerpiece of a reinvented transportation system. Mark Pisano is executive director of the Southern California Assn. of Governments.
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Post by James Fujita on Dec 31, 2007 18:06:33 GMT -8
With Mark gone, I believe things are going to change for the better. SCAG is governed by a huge body of elected officials. They are all elected and the ones that show up are from mostly our smaller cities. Any type of elected Board at Metro or BART is a call for disaster. In fact, the BART Board is a true example of fraud, public waste and worse. Think stub end extension to SFO airport. Think of the run down BART system that doesn't start until 8 a.m. Sunday mornings and ends service just after midnight. Just because you are elected does not mean you are competent. Look at the LAUSD payroll computer disaster. The $100 million system was approved by the Board, and you know what a boondoggle it has been. unfortunately, you are 100 percent correct. all of us, as Americans, were born and raised on the idea that democracy is the best system of government ever devised; but there are times when it clearly is the worst way to make decisions. democracy depends upon a highly-informed citizenry, and the average citizen understands transportation and transit about as well as they understand our sewer system or how the internet works ("It's a series of tubes!" — Senator Ted Stevens) imagine the Bus Riders Union putting together a slate of candidates, or James E. Moore II running for office. of course, some would say, Bart Reed and Ken Alpern could get elected to the MTA Board, but the risk of a "maglevs, monorails and free bus rides" board would be too high. if SCAG's Maglev obsession truly is the work of one mad genius, then I certainly hope that the maglev madness fades with time.
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Post by kenalpern on Jan 1, 2008 18:37:17 GMT -8
Well said, James, and I think that if any of us really tried to get elected, we'd learn we'd have to whore ourselves to deal with developers, monorail/Maglev pitchmen and the like.
Mr. Pisano's an example of someone who twisted himself to fit the agendas of these pitchmen and developers, and I look forward to someone who's prime interest is to do the right thing by the voters and the transportation experts.
Right now, SCAG is disrespected by Caltrans, the LADOT and Metro, and I can squarely lay the blame on Mr. Pisano. Shame on him and all his ilk and his cronies. I look forward to a straight arrow who will restore the respect and credibility of SCAG and get that organization in lockstep with the cities, the county, the state and the feds.
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Post by wad on Jan 3, 2008 4:02:31 GMT -8
First, despite some bazaar policies SCAG has pursued such as Magnetic Levitation, (ScagLev), things are changing. Mark Pisano, long time SCAG Executive Director retires at the end of 2007 and becomes a Professor at USC (no, he's not going to the James E. Moore II Institute of Concrete, Asphalt and Rebar), teaching intergovernmental relations. The proper name is the Reason Foundation School of Policy, Planning and Development.
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Post by Transit Coalition on Jan 4, 2008 13:46:24 GMT -8
Well, many folks do think highly of Hasan. He is not like Mark in any way, shape or form. I think he may focus on rail transit rather than MagLev, but we shall see.
Los Angeles Times: Friday, January 4, 2008
Briefs: LOS ANGELES SCAG chooses new executive
The Southern California Assn. of Governments on Thursday named its former planning director, Hasan Ikhrata, as its new executive director.
The organization conducted a nationwide search before deciding on Ikhrata, who succeeds Mark Pisano. The association is a regional planning organization for six Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.
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