Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, led the meeting at Los Angeles City Hall to discuss job creation, transportation reform, and securing federal funding for the mayor's 30/10 initiative.

Los Angeles County voters in 2008 approved a half-cent sales tax for transportation. Over the next 30 years, revenue from this tax is expected to provide $40 billion, of which $13 billion will go toward transit projects.

Villaraigosa's 30/10 initiative proposes that the long-term revenue be used as collateral for long-term bonds and a federal loan, which would allow the expedited construction of 12 key transit projects in 10 years rather than the 30 years currently planned.

"Right here in Southern California, the residents of Los Angeles County are providing new thinking and leadership when it comes to building the kind of city we all want to see for everyone in LA," Boxer said. "What is happening here is also providing a model for similar approaches across the country."

Boxer noted she is working on legislation that would create greater flexibility in existing federal transportation programs and hopes to convince her colleagues in Congress to make more federal transportation dollars available for the 30/10 initiative and programs like it across the country, the Los Angeles Time reported.

"As we develop the next comprehensive surface transportation law, we have the opportunity to make changes in current programs to leverage resources to create more jobs and build the transit systems, roads, and other facilities our communities need faster," Boxer said.

Boxer Proposes More TIFIA Funding

At the hour-long roundtable discussion, Boxer also discussed the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which she believes has been successful in helping states and communities access credit to stretch their money further.

"TIFIA helps communities leverage their transportation resources through credit assistance and other programs," she said. "According to the Federal Highway Administration, every dollar made available through TIFIA can mobilize up to $30 in nonfederal investment. That's the kind of tool we need more of. TIFIA has been a successful program, but improvements are needed if it is going to achieve the kind of transformative results we all want to see moving forward."

While Boxer expressed her belief that TIFIA is a positive program, neither it nor any other federal program is large enough to accommodate all of the transit projects that are being considered in Los Angeles, she acknowledged. Both Boxer and Villaraigosa said if the demand is so high for TIFIA loans, then the program should be expanded with more federal dollars.

TIFIA funding is currently authorized by Congress at $122 million per year, which translates into about $1.5 billion in credit assistance. However, in Fiscal Year 2010, FHWA received 39 requests seeking more than $13 billion in credit assistance. USDOT has imposed a competitive process to decide who gets the money, rather than continuing to rely on a first-come, first-served system based on individual projects' merits. (see April 4 AASHTO Journal story)

More information about the 30/10 initiative is available at www.metro.net/projects/30-10.