Measure R and the Economy

Money is on the minds of the public these days. We really can't afford to shell out another cent for anyone other than ourselves. Pay the bills, pay the rent, and make it through another day. With all the money leaving our wallets - as much as we would like for it to not - the plain and simple truth is that Americans pay taxes, to whomever, for whatever. It is part of the job description.

With so many other things to think about day to day, it is easy to forget what is considered to be "the other person". A possibility that one should probably weigh is that "the other person" could be them - it's just that time has not yet revealed that.

Being "the other person" shouldn't be considered a bad thing; it would do every Angeleno a world of good to consider it a reality. With the unfortunate balance in what most are being paid in comparison with what most things are costing, cutting corners is a necessary thing - not a bad thing. Some people in large cities have sold their cars in order to take advantage of the local public transportation systems. Others have traded their SUVs for hybrids or other fuel-efficient vehicles. Still others have invested in a bicycle, taking advantage of rideshare programs available through their respective places of work, or doing the work themselves and getting on the bus (train, subway, etc.) Measure R has been proposed with the goal of improving roadways, the service of public transportation, and more importantly the extension of railways and all-in-all a better quality of life - in that perhaps Angelenos won't have to be so dependent on being behind the wheel, their baby.

Los Angeles is like every established city in the world - except for the reliable mass transportation. So you have a car. What if - with the rising cost of insurance and the dwindling yet still high prices of gasoline - you decided to not drive anymore, if not as much? What if you had to take the bus then?

Still considering the state of our economy - should Measure R cost us an extra $25.00 a year, who cares? If the end result is something that works better with the big picture - or repairing the economy and being proud of being self-sufficient - then wouldn't such a notion be worth considering?

Consider this, then. By all means.

From Metro.net
Photo via about-losangelesca.com