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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Koretz and Vahedi Debate: transportation issues highlighted

Streetsblog » Koretz and Vahedi Debate Transportation and More at UCLA
Koretz and Vahedi Debate Transportation and More at UCLA


by Ted Rogers on April 23, 2009

Since Ted Rogers has done a better job covering the CD5 Council Race than I anyway, I thought why not make it official. For the rest of his coverage, check out Biking in LA.

Call it the once and future debate.

This past Monday night, David Vahedi and Paul Koretz — the candidates running to replace Jack Weiss as council person representing L.A.’s 5th Council District — met in a debate on the UCLA campus.

Hosted by the appropriately named Bruins for Traffic Relief, the event was co-sponsored by ABC7 and Manatt Phelps & Philips, LLC, with an assist from the League of Women Voters, and mediated by ABC7’s Adrienne Alpert.

Vahedi called for a Metro Park and Ride system that would travel down the 405, connecting Valley residents to job sites in Century City and along the Wilshire corridor, as well as city-owned parking facilities near other major transit lines. Koretz recommended an overhaul of the city transportation plan, saying that instead of spending billions to build subways, the city should look into innovative above-ground options, such as an advanced personalized rapid transit system — something Alpert characterized as a fantasy plan, drawing the biggest laugh of the night.

Alpert asked both candidates for their top three priorities for spending stimulus funds; Koretz listed transportation, infrastructure and affordable housing. Vahedi suggested sufficient hospitals, mass transit and schools, as well as funding additional scholarship programs.

The debate will be televised on ABC7 this May, on a date to be determined.


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