The U.S Department of Labor is holding up the distribution of billions of dollars in transit funding destined for San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and other California cities due to a new state pension law's impact on transit workers.
"The federal government is withholding about $2 billion from transit agencies across California, including $268 million earmarked for bus, rail and street projects at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority [Metro]," reports Dan Weikel. "The money has been held back since December because the U.S. Department of Labor contends that a new state pension law violates the Federal Transit Act in the way it treats unionized workers of transportation agencies."
"If the dispute is not resolved soon," he adds, "Metro officials say that $3.2 billion in grants and federal loans could be withheld from such projects as the subway extension to the Westside and the regional rail connector in downtown Los Angeles. They added that those projects, which have the potential to employ an estimated 43,000 workers, could be delayed as a result."
FULL STORY: Legal dispute prompts feds to withhold $2 billion for transit
City of Los Angeles Tops 4 Million in Latest State Population Report
As usual, California's fastest growing counties were inland, far from coastal job centers. The big surprise was that the fastest growing city was an affluent Silicon Valley suburb that had been sued in 2012 by affordable housing advocates.
Denser Neighborhoods Could Save Bay Area $31 Billion
Walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods do more than just lower greenhouse gas emissions of their residents - they save them money too, states a new report, "Windfall for All", from the Bay Area's TransForm, a coalition of over 100 non-profits.
An Unexpected Turn for California's New State Population Report
Population data released May 1 by the Department of Finance reveals the Golden State's lowest population growth rate on record, at 0.47 percent.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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