L.A. Mayor Taking Away Free Rides
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is seeking to eliminate the city’s executive fleet to aide a $155 million deficit. The proposal would remove 93 of the City Council's 108 vehicles from the city’s payroll.
However, those who may lose their Toyota Prius or Honda Civic are not as agreeable on the idea – citing that relying on personal cars would jeopardize the Mayor’s promise to reduce greenhouse gases in Los Angeles, as they would be relying on less eco-friendly vehicles.
Other City Council members told the L.A. Times that Villaraigosa’s plan will be wholly ineffective because the reimbursement costs for workers' mileage and the costs of increased pollution would offset the cost of the city vehicles.
Councilwoman Jan Perry, who chairs the council's Energy and Environment Committee and drives a city-issued 2006 Honda Accord hybrid, said, “We have made great strides in diversifying the fleet to improve our air quality. It would be a dereliction of our duties to take a step back.
Comments
Cicero
Is L.A. being taken over by people from San Fransico?
Russ Bellinis
Politics as usual. One politician wants to grand stand to make points with the electorate. The other politicians are fighting to keep their perks. What the city saves by getting rid of these high mpg hybrid cars will be offset by reimbursing the city officials for mileage in personal cars. It is all smoke and mirrors. Is there anything lower than a politician?
Cicero
A few things, but not much
Gianni
How about the Mayor buys the Pols who lose their car a bus pass? I'd love to hear why they can't use public transportation, but we all should...
06YellowGT
to question the thought of those losing their cars.... So... if we want to make the city more eco-friendly, then we have to rely on the government to buy us the vehicles with the citizens tax dollars that we will then drive?
Don't you think if they actually cared, they'd make their own private vehicle purchase "eco friendly" as well?
Guess they only care when someone else will pay for it.
mena
Public transportation sucks in LA.
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