July 26, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

LA City Council Opposes State Senate Bill That Would Drastically Overhaul Metro Governing Board

The Los Angeles City Council is expected Friday to oppose a state Senate bill that would drastically overhaul the governing board of Metro.

The bill represents Sen. Tony Mendoza’s third attempt in two years to overhaul the board and increase the representation of cities in areas of the county outside of Los Angeles. Mendoza, D-Artesia, contendst the county’s other 87 cities are underrepresented on the board and its projects often benefit Los Angeles at the expense of smaller cities.

The Metro board is made up of 13 voting members and a non-voting representative of the governor who oversee the agency’s vast network of public buses and rail lines.

The board consists of the mayor of Los Angeles, three appointees of the mayor, all five members of the Board of Supervisors and a representative from each of the county’s four sub-regions.

SB 268 would eliminate three members of the Board of Supervisors on the Metro board while adding three more members from the county’s sub-regions. It would also eliminate the Los Angeles mayor’s three appointees in favor of five City Council members.

The current publicly available text of the bill does not include mention of the three additional members from the county’s sub-regions, but a spokesman for Mendoza said it will be added soon.

“SB 268 runs counter to the spirit of local control by changing the membership of the Metro board without local consensus,” Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin wrote in a letter to the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. “These changes set a dangerous precedent for state control of local transportation boards and agencies.”

Bonin is the chair of the City Council’s Transportation Committee and also one of  Los Angeles’ representatives on the board.

“The primary reason for the bill is to ensure that there is fair and equal voting rights for other parts of the district. The communities that currently don’t have as much influence on the board will have more ability to have a larger voting percentage,” said Tim Kirkonnell, communications director for Mendoza.

Mendoza introduced two bills last year that sought to increase representation of the smaller cities, including one that would have replaced three of the county seats with a post for Long Beach and for appointees of the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the Assembly, and another that would have added 10 new seats. Both were shelved by the Senate.

The new bill comes as Metro and the county are making plans for spending the estimated $120 billion that will be generated by a half-cent sales tax increase stemming from voter approval of Measure M in November.

“SB 268 also comes at a time when Metro is making historic investments to transportation to improve services across Los Angeles County. This bill would disrupt that process and make it more difficult for Metro to make critical investments that will create jobs, reduce traffic, and reduce pollution,” Bonin’s letter said.

“SB 268’s top-down approach is unnecessary and does not accurately reflect our region.”

Related Posts

LAPD to Conduct DUI Checkpoints Across City This Weekend

July 26, 2025

July 26, 2025

LAPD officials said checkpoint locations are chosen based on areas with high numbers of DUI-related crashes and arrests The Los...

Metro D Line Resumes Today After 70-Day Closure

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The shutdown, which began May 17, enabled Metro to connect the current line to newly built tunnels extending west under...

TODAY: Venice Artbeat Celebrates Community and Supports Local Causes

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The event offers live music, dance performances, live art, food, and storytelling Venice Artbeat, a community-focused festival, takes place on...

Sunset Jazz & Pizza Series Returns to The Lobster

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The series blends jazz from a three-piece house band with handcrafted pizzas and $5 Open Brewing beers  The Lobster’s popular...

Los Angeles Marks Milestone in Youth Sports Enrollment

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

A program has surpassed one million enrollments, providing low-cost and, in some cases, free access to youth and adaptive sports ...

LAHSA Appoints New Interim CEO Amid System Transitions

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The agency is navigating uncertainty following the county’s decision to create a separate homelessness department and shifting federal policy priorities...

Venice Chamber Installs New Board at Community Event

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Representatives from multiple levels of government were in attendance The Venice Chamber of Commerce welcomed its newly elected 2025–26 Board...

Measles Case Confirmed in LA, Officials Urge Vaccination

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Investigators are working to identify potential exposures and assess the risk to others Health officials have confirmed a case of...

In Your Time of Need, Woodlawn Cemetery is Available

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

By Susan Payne  For over 125 years, Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum & Mortuary, wholly owned and operated by the city of...

Going for the throat

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold back nothing  By Linda Chase World famous competitors hire special coaches...

Suspect Arrested in Fatal Brentwood Whole Foods Stabbing, Area to See Increased Police Presence

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The suspect, initially described as a man in his early 20s wearing dark clothing, fled the scene on foot.  A...

(Video) Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

For More Information, Go To Wiseandhealthyaging.org/ Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center. For More...

California Reports 13% Drop in Vehicle Thefts in 2024, First Decline Since 2019

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Southern California accounted for 53.21% of thefts, with Los Angeles County alone representing 61.83% of the region’s total California reported...

LAPD Pacific Boosters’ West LA Summer Carnival Takes Place This Weekend

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The carnival will feature amusement rides for all ages, arcade-style games, and traditional fair food The LAPD Pacific Area Boosters...

Venice Ale House is Now the European-Inspired ‘Venice Beach Club’

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The menu features items like steak frites, crudo, and house-made pizzas, under the direction of Executive Chef James Samuel A...