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ChineseSales taxes for Measure R go up today
Added on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, always the center of attention, is at the center of this press conference in November urging for the passage of Measure R. And it did. Now we live with the consequences.
Photo by Ned Racine, uploaded by Metro Library and Archive on Flickr; used with a Creative Commons license
Remember November? In an election where at least a majority turned out to vote, we not only elected Barack Obama president but also bet big for both statewide high-speed rail and major local transit.
Obama, who began January 20, is now through his honeymoon period. High-speed rail work has yet to begin, and the state is officially broke as of today, so those bonds we approved might go to the IMF structural adjustment California will get by October.
The sales tax in Los Angeles County goes up to 9.75 percent today; the added half cent is for improvements outlined in Measure R. If you care about the subway like those placard wavers in the photo — or any other project in your nabe — go forth and spend recklessly like when Bush was in office. 
