Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti led his first meeting in 2017 as chairman of the Metro Board of Directors Thursday, succeeding outgoing board Chair John Fasana, mayor pro tem of Duarte.
Garcetti officially became chair July 1, and it is his second term leading the board after his first stint during the 2014-15 fiscal year. He will serve as the board’s chair through June 30, 2018.
The mayor said making sure Measure M projects are properly implemented and create local jobs will be a top priority. The tax increase was approved by county voters in 2016 and is expected to generate $860 million a year for transportation projects.
“When voters passed Measure M, they gave us a mandate to build a better transportation system and a more connected region — now, we need to deliver,” Garcetti said. “I am honored to serve again as chair of this board, and help build our network into a global model for public transportation infrastructure and service.”
The 13-member Board of Directors is made up of the five Los Angeles County supervisors, four members appointed by the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee and three members appointed by the mayor of Los Angeles. The position of board chair rotates between the three groups each fiscal year.
Garcetti also said a priority will be collaborating with state and federal partners to leverage local funds through programs like the Infrastructure Incentive Initiative, which rewards regions that generate their own infrastructure funding.
