Los Angeles has taxed itself to raise money for transit projects, and now officials want to borrow against those future earnings to speed up projects. This article wonders if that's a model other cities can and should follow.
Minn Post looks at whether the idea could work in the Twin Cities.
"If approved by Congress, the Los Angeles plan would constitute a new kind of federal-local partnership in transportation investment. 'We think it's a pretty intriguing idea,' said Susan Haigh, chair of the Metropolitan Council. The formula is a focus of current research on how to accelerate the transit build-out in the metro area.
'We're focused on jobs and economic development,' Haigh said, 'but that doesn't happen without investments in transit and transportation. The question is how can you take advantage of transit's return on investment to advance and accelerate transit projects.'
The answer will be data-driven, she said, but it's not yet clear whether the Los Angeles model can work here."
FULL STORY: Los Angeles tries to accelerate transit: Would it work here?
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