HHPNC To Consider Vote Against $3 Billion Street Repair Measure

Los Angeles City Councilmen Mitch Englander and Joe Buscaino are making a hard push to put a $3 billion street repair bond measure on the May ballot, but some members of the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council (HHPNC) think they are moving too fast.

co-authored by board President Monica Alcaraz and Vice President Hector Huezo, which urges the City Council to delay their vote to place the measure on the May ballot.

Huezo said it would be imprudent for the City Council to seek a $3 million bond when there was not clear plan in place to repay it.

"This bond measure is a loan that the city will have to pay back in the future, and they're requesting it at a time when there's no clear plan as to how the city is going to grow its own economy to put itself in the position to be able to pay it back, aside from the brunt of the cost being placed on property owners," Huezo said. "The new loan may also affect the city's credit rating and ability to pay for its most important services, police and fire."

Neighborhood Councils who seek to oppose the measure find themselves in a race against the clock. The Los Angeles City Council has until Jan. 30 to place the bond measure on the May ballot, and is scheduled to discuss and potentially vote on the issue on Tuesday, Jan. 15. 

Huezo said, even though the neighborhood council's recommendation is not binding, he felt it was important to advise the city council on such matters.

"It's important for neighborhood councils to discuss and provide input to the city regardless of the stance each individual neighborhood council decides to take, the important issue is that neighborhood council and neighborhoods discuss and weigh in on the proposed bond," Heuzo said. "How quickly this has moved has not allowed for an adequate response."