Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's half-cent increase in the county's sales tax would create $30-$40 billion for transportation projects over the next 30 years, and could go before voters in November.
"An increase would raise the sales tax from 8.25% to 8.75%, which would tie the county with several other localities that have the highest sales tax in the state."
"The idea of a November transportation tax has been gaining ground with rising gas prices and increasing public pressure for new transit lines, including the Wilshire Boulevard "subway to the sea" and an extension of the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley."
"Villaraigosa has made building a Wilshire Boulevard subway a top priority of his administration. But his efforts have made little headway largely because of the $5-billion to $7-billion price tag. Congress last year lifted a longtime ban on tunnel work under Wilshire -- but getting money to build a subway remains a major problem."
"Even if a tax goes on the ballot, it remains unclear whether it would pass. Some elected officials in the San Gabriel Valley and elsewhere have questioned whether the benefits of a subway are worth the costs."
FULL STORY: Villaraigosa wants sales tax hike for transit
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