[Editor’s Note: Mr. Newton writes la.streetsblog.com]
[See pdf below]
One of the powers of the Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, is the right to appoint three members to the Board of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, commonly known as Metrolink. Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who took over as Metro Board Chair on July 1, wasted no time in exercising that power, replacing Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian with County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
The move has surprised and baffled local rail watchers, not the least of which is Mr. Najarian. The Glendale City Councilman responded to the switch with shock, pleading with the Supervisor to change his mind through a formal letter and later criticizing the decision at a meeting of the Glendale City Council.
“If you’re wondering how many miles of Metrolink rail is in Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’s district, that number is zero,” Mr. Najarian testified.
Mr. Najarian served on the Metrolink Board for six years and was one of two practicing lawyers on the Board during a time of legal crisis. He was appointed by the following Metro Board Chairs: Supervisor Gloria Molina, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor, Mr. Villaraigosa (again), Supervisor Don Knabe and Mr. Villaraigosa (a third time.) He also served as Metro Board Chair in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, where he automatically sat on the Metrolink Board.
Staff for both Mr. Antonovich and Mr. Ridley-Thomas defended the decision.
Behind the Decision
A spokesman for the Metro Board Chair told Streetsblog that Mr. Antonovich was most interested in filling his appointments to the Metrolink Board with people who share his vision for regional rail. The spokesman outlined a vision where one could take rail to every major airport in the area and where a regional rail network didn’t just connect the major population centers in and near the City of Los Angeles, but the entire county. According to the spokesman, Mr. Antonovich was simply more comfortable with Mr. Ridley-Thomas than with Mr. Najarian.
Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ soffice also expressed enthusiasm for the appointment. Transportation deputy Dan Rosenfeld writes: “The Supervisor views our expanding public transportation network as the single greatest engine for economic development and environmental enhancement in the County. He is interested in learning details of each element in our regional transportation mix, including Metrolink, as the system can only achieve its potential if all modes integrate successfully.”
Supporters of Mr. Najarian list several political and personal reasons that the Supervisor would want to remove Mr. Najarian from a position of power. The Councilman and Supervisor have an ongoing battle over the 710 “Gap Closure” project, with Mr. Antonovich leading the charge to dig a tunnel connecting the I-710 and I-210 and Mr. Najarian opposed. Indeed, when Streetsblog sponsored a “Let’s Rename the I-710 Gap Project,” contest it was Ara Najarian who suggested the eventual winning name, the 710 Big Dig.
Another possible reason listed by Najarian supporters is the Councilman’s vote in favor of allowing an extension of the Measure R sales tax to go to this fall’s ballot. Despite his personal mis-givings, the Councilman decided to let the voters decide whether extending the tax is a good idea. Mr. Antonovich, Mr. Ridley-Thomas and Mr. Knabe all voted against placing the extension on the ballot. Mr. Knabe already served, and continues to serve, as a Metrolink director.
One Path of Reasoning
The truth is probably simpler. In his comments made at a recent Glendale City Council meeting, Mr. Najarian informed the Council that Mr. Antonovich originally planned to appoint Palmdale Council Member Tom Lackey. However, he was constrained by Metrolink’s rules. The Metro Board Chair can only appoint a member of the Metro Board of Directors to the Board, but can appoint anyone as the alternate. By appointing Mr. Ridley-Thomas to the Board and Mr. Lackey as his alternate, it could be a de facto appointment of Mr. Lackey to the Board through the back door. This is pure speculation at this point. The proof will be in whether Mr. Ridley-Thomas makes regular appearances at the Metrolink meetings.
As Streetsblog has discussed in previous articles, Supervisor Antonovich does have a vision for an improved rail network in his district, a vision that involved Palmdale as a major transit hub. The Palmdale Station already has a Metrolink station with local and Amtrak bus service. The station could add Amtrak, California High Speed Rail and Desert XPress High Speed Rail services in the coming decades. For that vision to occur, Metrolink would have to play ball with both rail authorities. For Mr. Antonovich, it makes sense for a representative from Palmdale to be a major player on the Metrolink Board.
Which is not to say that politics or personal feelings were not involved in the Supervisor’s decision. Only Mr. Antonovich knows for sure why Mr. Antonovich does certain things. Some facts of the case point away from the two theories posited by Najarian supporters above. For example, Richard Katz, a mayoral appointee to the Metro Board of Directors and Chair of the Metrolink Board of Directors, remains on Metrolink’s Board as an appointee of Mr. Antonovich. If the Supervisor were looking to settle a personal score, he certainly has many conflicts with Mr. Katz over Measure R and projects such as the Subway to the Sea.
Mr. Najarian was elected to the Metro Board of Directors by the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee.
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