City Council approves interim San Fernando Valley transit authority study, 11-3

The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-3 to form an interim joint powers authority (JPA) to study a potential San Fernando Valley transit zone and to pursue a final application to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Council member Pacheco Padilla introduced the plan and urged colleagues to support formation of an interim JPA that would complete studies, final analysis and an application to the MTA. “I would ask for the support of all the council, to take this next step, to sign on to an interim joint powers authority,” Padilla said.

The measure authorizes planning and study only; it does not transfer operation of bus service to a new entity. Jerry Miller of the City Administrative Office clarified the day’s action was to approve an interim JPA that will conduct a feasibility study and not operate transit. Tim McCosker of the City Attorney’s Office told council members the proposed agreement is “for a interim period and is not for purposes of conducting the operations of the transit system,” and that the city’s exposure to operational liability would be limited because the JPA would be a planning body.

Why it matters: supporters say a Valley transit zone could reallocate existing dollars to expand service for transit-dependent riders and pressure the MTA to improve service. Opponents warned the change could fragment the regional system, add cost and reproduce past problems when zoning required riders to pay multiple fares.

Council members debated governance, labor and equity. Council member Bernsen and others flagged the potential cost and the disparity between the per-hour amounts discussed at the MTA and the amount the Valley consortium might receive — figures discussed in the meeting included $60 an hour for the proposed consortium compared with $108 an hour for MTA operations, and Foothill at $80 an hour — and warned the difference could translate into tens of millions in city cost. “Something’s wrong here,” Bernsen said, and he estimated a potential $70 million annual cost difference if negotiations failed to secure parity.

Several members said governance on the proposal remains unsettled. Miller said negotiations produced an allocation of four votes out of nine for the city’s partners with veto authority on major decisions; he said the allocation was not based on population. Council member Hernandez emphasized civil-rights concerns and said the study should examine whether a separate zone could offer equitable service across geographic and racial lines.

Other speakers focused on riders’ needs. Council member Feuer said the council’s principal test should be whether the change improves service for riders. Council member Goldberg and council member Holden cautioned against repeating historical problems when smaller zones led to higher fares and poor coordination across boundaries.

The council approved an amending motion, 11-3, and then passed the item as amended by the same margin. The action was recorded on the roll call after extended debate; council members also asked that the interim JPA return with detailed recommendations about governance, funding and labor implications.

Next steps: the interim JPA will conduct studies and return recommendations to the council. The council did not approve operational authority, and any future transfer of operations would require further votes and negotiations with MTA and labor representatives.