 | | Art Leahy |
TPR/MIR’s April issue included an interview with Metro’s former CEO, Roger Snoble, and we’re delighted this month to have the opportunity to do a “Welcome to Metro” interview with you. What, to begin, are the priority challenges on your plate? What advice did Roger give you on how best address the difficult challenges ahead?
The challenges are immense, but the challenges were the reason I accepted the position. I was very happy in Orange County. We accomplished a strong alignment with the business community, with various electives, and with other institutions. Throughout my career I have followed the motto that I should go where the action is. There is a lot of action here.
Roger’s advice to me was that some days will be an absolute high and other days will be really tough.
Many of the issues are very parallel to what I used to see when I was with the predecessor to Metro years ago—and the same with Minnesota and Orange County. They are bigger here, but they are the same issues. What we need to do is to work with the board to align what the board wants to accomplish and what the staff is focused on. Then we go outside to the cities and other groups to bring all of that into alignment. We want to involve the business community; they have an important contribution to make.
L.A. County’s passage of Measure R, which could raise $30 billion-plus over the next three decades for transportation infrastructure, offers hope to those caught in traffic congestion. Address the promise and challenges of investing Measure R’s resources wisely?
Taxpayers have trusted Metro with a large investment. The first obligation is to show the taxpayers benefit and acts of good faith on the projects listed in Measure R. Obviously there is a great deal of work to be done finishing up the Exposition Line. There is the Gold Line to the east, Crenshaw, the subway, and a variety of other projects around Los Angeles County.
We have the opportunity to take that money and use it to leverage federal and state money where it is appropriate. The objective will be to put together a comprehensive package of projects with the support of the board that gives the taxpayers the benefits they voted for.
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