Update on the Save Our Streets LA Proposal...

In January of 2013, Councilmember Joe Buscaino and I jointly introduced a City Council motion aimed at rehabilitating a backlog of 8,200 miles of City streets that had fallen into complete disrepair. We sought to have an honest conversation about how decades of neglect and diminishing funding sources had led to an infrastructure problem in desperate need of a solution.

As we delved into the complexities of maintaining and updating our infrastructure, it became obvious that the single biggest impediment was dedicated, continuous funding, sufficient to keep pace and address the massive backlog. The sources that we have depended on have been reduced, are restrictive, or have disappeared entirely, leaving a larger and larger gap for which the only eligible backfill source was the General Fund. After several years of recession and limited recovery, the competition for funding with other core responsibilities like police and fire services, parks and libraries has grown stiffer, with infrastructure often taking a backseat.

While work on the SOSLA proposal is terminated, I am proud of the excellent policy recommendations that came out of the process that remain viable, including Cool, Green and Complete Streets elements, technology improvements and changes to our policies that will extend the life of our streets by minimizing cuts and seeking financial restitution for repairs by outside agencies not done to City of Los Angeles standards.

As long as I am on the Council, I will do everything in my power to reduce the City’s backlog of broken streets and sidewalks and to ensure the City is properly funding its vital infrastructure.

As Chief Deputy for former Los Angeles City Councilmember Greig Smith, I saw firsthand how fixing the City’s street infrastructure took a backseat to other priorities and what was, in 2003, a $1.5 billion backlog grew to what is now, a decade later, $4.5 billion. While the Save Our Streets LA proposal concludes, these issues continue.

I would very much like to thank Councilmember Joe Buscaino and his staff as well as those people and organizations that have supported the SOSLA proposal, particularly, the Department of Public Works and Bureaus of Contract Administration, Engineering and Street Services, the offices of the Chief Legislative Analyst and City Administrative Officer, Board of Public Works President Kevin James, Greg Good, the mayor’s head of infrastructure, and our many supporters and advisors. The contributions of these individuals and departments has been invaluable.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember Twelfth District