U.S. TRANSIT OFFICIALS LINK GRANT TO MTA-VALLEY DEAL.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer Federal transportation officials told the MTA (1) (Message Transfer Agent or Mail Transfer Agent) The store and forward part of a messaging system. See messaging system. (2) See M Technology Association. 1. (messaging) MTA - Message Transfer Agent. on Wednesday a $99 million grant for rail construction hinges on resolving the battle over the east-west line through the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . The announcement came one day after the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. froze $200 million in city transportation money to protest the MTA's new transit plan that pushes back the start of the east-west rail line from 2003 to at least 2007 - and possibly as late as 2011. In a letter that arrived Wednesday but sent before the council's vote, Federal Transit Administrator Gordon Linton notified the Metropolitan Transportation Authority he would endorse the agency's rail recovery plan. But in a telephone call to the MTA later in the day, Linton said he will withhold mailing a letter to Congress supporting the funding until the agency works out a compromise with the council, including the release of the $200 million. ``This is the conditional letter of support we asked him to do,'' said Linda Bohlinger, the MTA's interim chief executive officer. ``He's holding it until we have an agreement with the city on the $200 million.'' Linton could not be reached for comment. Councilman Mike Feuer, who authored the council motion leading to a 9-2 vote to block the $200 million transfer, said he is not concerned that officials are threatening to withhold support in Washington. ``The question is will the MTA be able to fashion a revised recovery plan that satisfies the goals articulated by the council?'' Feuer said. ``The word regret doesn't even enter my mind.'' Feuer said it is up to the MTA to fix the problem it created. Bohlinger said negotiations with city officials to resolve the impasse could begin Friday. The MTA is scheduled to go before the City Council on June 24, just one day before the House Transportation Committee meets on which cities will get transportation funding in 1998. Two members of the Valley-area congressional delegation said Wednesday the City Council's decision will make it tough for the MTA on Capitol Hill - but that the move was forced. ``The only way to get the attention of the MTA is to do what the council did,'' said U.S. Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita. ``I wish the MTA could get (its) act together and provide some leadership.'' Rep. Brad Sherman Bradley J. "Brad" Sherman (born October 24 1954) is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing California's At-large congressional district. , D-Woodland Hills, said the MTA can limit the amount of damage the council vote will cause in Washington if it acts before the matter comes before Congress. ``What the City Council has done here is a creative and necessary response to the MTA's backsliding back·slide intr.v. back·slid , back·slid·ing, back·slides To revert to sin or wrongdoing, especially in religious practice. back on its commitment to the Valley,'' Sherman said. ``Obviously if the MTA could have had its act together all year it would have been a lot easier for advocates of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, transportation back in Washington.'' MTA board members say the council's $99 million gamble could jeopardize ongoing rail projects across Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, including construction of the Red Line subway into North Hollywood. ``Every time we have played a game like this, Congress has used it as an excuse to move money elsewhere. We need unity and solidarity,'' said Larry Zarian Larry Zarian (b.1937) was the first Armenian-American to serve on the city council in the City of Glendale, California. He also served as Glendale Mayor. He currently serves on the California Transportation Commission. , the MTA board chairman. Still, Zarian said he has formed a subcommittee of board members to work with the council to forge a compromise. He supports the Valley rail line, but said it had to pushed back because of money. ``I believe the San Fernando Valley needs rail, needs it badly and needs it now,'' Zarian said. ``The key thing is where are we going to get the money?'' Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. was on vacation Wednesday and not available for comment. But his transportation aide, Jaime de la Vega de la Vega is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning "of the plain" and may refer to: People (arranged by date of birth)
``The mayor is very optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op we will get the (federal) funding,'' de la Vega said. Riordan met Tuesday with Rep. Frank Wolf Frank Rudolph Wolf, born January 30 1939, American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1981. He represents Northern Virginia's 10th congressional district. He is the most senior of Virginia's eleven Congressmen. , who is chairman of the transportation subcommiTttee, and was told there would be support for funding the MTA if the agency can rally local support for its recovery plan. He noted that Riordan won approval of the MTA board June 4 for a motion that immediately programs $51 million in MTA funds for final design of the east-west Valley line, programs $8 million to complete environmental studies and calls for the MTA this month to seek competitive proposals from private firms willing to build, maintain and operate the line as a turnkey approach. The turnkey idea could save time and money on the project when compared to the MTA's normal approach of building the subway itself with contractors, de la Vega said. |
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