[Editor’s Note: Mr. Zane is Executive Director of MoveLA, “building a coalition for a comprehensive transportation system in Los Angeles County.”]
Coalitions can move mountains when they act together.
Vote yes today on Measure J. This election provides us with an opportunity to move beyond the red/blue divide.
Treepeople is the latest in a long list of public interest, public health, environmental, labor and community groups to endorse Measure J, including:
The American Lung Assn., Unite HERE, Sierra Club, the Green Party, the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Global Green, Breathe LA, Pacoima Beautiful, Arts for LA, NRDC, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, SCANPH (Southern California Assn. of Nonprofit Housing), Los Angeles Walks, Ciclavia, FAST (Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic), and Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (California).
(See the list at http://www.measurej.org)
Measure J – which would extend the Measure R sales tax voters approved in 2008 to build seven transit and eight highway projects in 13 years, creating 250,000 jobs at the same time — has created a stunning coalition: business associations are standing in solidarity with labor and environmental organizations, progressives with conservatives, Republicans with Democrats, with partners ranging across the spectrum from the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. (VICA) to the L.A./O.C. Building and Construction Trades and L.A. County Federation of Labor, from the American Jewish Committee and the Dodgers.
Even the San Gabriel Valley, which opposed Measure R, is on board with endorsements from 10 cities as well as the subregional council of governments.
Mr. Zane may be contacted at dennyzane@movela.org
