When the discussion begins at Thursday’s MTA Board meeting about the scandal surrounding the Crenshaw-LAX Line contract award, let there be no mistake about who is in charge. MTA CEO Art Leahy is NOT in charge. Nobody voted for him. Leahy works at the pleasure of the MTA Board, which includes the Mayor of the second largest city in the country, the Supervisors of the nation’s largest county, and regional representatives of all the county’s cities. Collectively, the MTA Board members have over 200 years of experience in elected office. You voted for them to represent us.

The MTA Board is where the buck stops on the Crenshaw-LAX Line.

The MTA Board is “the decider.”

The MTA Board knows Art Leahy and his staff are as wrong as two left shoes.

Art Leahy and his staff have unscrupulously kept from the public that they rejected the requests of 3 out of the 4 finalists for the Crenshaw-LAX Line contract to bid the rail line underground the entirety of Crenshaw Blvd. Of the three requests, at least one requested to bid the Crenshaw Blvd tunnel within the project budget!

The contractors submitted their requests in July of 2012 – 11 months ago!

For 11 months – 11 months! – Leahy and his staff have lied to the public, elected officials and the media about this project, the length of time necessary to add the tunnel, and the estimated cost of the tunnel.

For 11 months – 11 months! – Leahy and his staff have failed to present the board with the multiple options that allow MTA to build the line underground on Crenshaw Blvd, which would preserve and enhance L.A.’s last black business corridor, save children’s lives, and improve transportation for the region.

Now that the item is on Thursday’s MTA agenda, the Board now has the power to take this new information, of which they are now privy, and direct Art Leahy and staff to comeback with multiple options that allow the contractors to bid the tunnel.

Accordingly, the question on Thursday is not, “What is the staff’s recommendation?”

The question is: What is the MTA Board going to do to allow the contractors to bid the tunnel?

And the question RIGHT NOW is: what are YOU going to do to voice your opinion?

TAKE ACTION NOW: SPEAK UP – SHOW UP – SPREAD THE WORD

#1: SPEAK UP!

Email the MTA Board and elected officials at [email protected] requesting they:

Allow the contractors to bid the Park Mesa Heights tunnel.

Don’t wait – send your email now.

#2: SHOW UP!

Help pack Thursday’s MTA Board room.

Buses will leave from the Leimert Park area at 7:30 a.m. Reserve your seat by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a message on our voicemail at (323) 761-6435. Remember to wear a black shirt/blouse as a show of unity.

#3: SPREAD THE WORD!

• Share our Showdown at MTA Action page.
• Download and print the flyer and distribute them liberally in the community. Take the flyer to churches & your neighbors. Encourage people to act now!
• Share our short videos that highlight the issue with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. The videos are on our Youtube page: www.youtube.com/crenshawsubway
• Like Us on Facebook and share our posts: www.facebook.com/crenshawsubway
• Follow Us on Twitter and Retweet us: www.twitter.com/crenshawsubway