Elana Schor
Recent Posts
Transportation Moving Votes in Harman’s L.A. Congressional Race
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Contested congressional primaries in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Arkansas are drawing the lion’s share of media attention today, but many Los Angelenos are eyeing June 8 as their Super Tuesday. That day will bring voters to the polls in a race between Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) and Marcy Winograd, who is challenging the eight-term lawmaker from […]
Ford Foundation to Send $200M to Metropolitan Development
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The Ford Foundation, created seven decades ago by a U.S. car industry scion, notably diverged from its past today by announcing a new, $200 million grant program aimed at promoting the local integration of transportation and land use planning and a movement beyond auto-based development. A "transit village" in the San Francisco area, cited by […]
Today’s Headlines
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Parsing the status-quo message of state DOTs’ federal arm (Streetsblog NYC) House Republicans insist they are abiding by a promised earmark moratorium after Oberstar raises questions (CPI Blog) LaHood announces new rule aimed at preventing distracted driving by railroad operators (FRA Press) Transport construction union launches new campaign to build support for long-term federal legislation […]
U.S. DOT Holding Five Public Meetings on Its National Rail Plan
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As it works to finalize a National Rail Plan that could prove pivotal in securing dedicated long-term funding for high-speed rail, the U.S. DOT is soliciting public feedback at five meetings in the coming weeks. The first public meeting will be held Wednesday in Kansas City, followed by a Thursday meeting in Atlanta, according to […]
Behind the Transport Industry’s Lament About the Senate Climate Bill
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While transport reform advocates hailed last week’s long-awaited Senate climate bill for directing an estimated $6 billion-plus towards local land use planning and green infrastructure, state DOTs and construction interests criticized the legislation — suggesting that the measure’s sponsors could face stiff resistance from the transportation industry’s mainstream despite making concessions to win over all […]
Today’s Headlines
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Democrats in Congress may tone down their new auto safety bill in response to industry complaints (WSJ) D.C. considers using "value capture" methods, harnessing business gains from transit to pay for new streetcars (WashPost) Joel Epstein on L.A.’s push to break from its past and embrace transit New York in need of a statewide high-speed […]
Today’s Headlines
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Is the Obama administration really cutting New York’s transit security funding? Lawmakers say yes (AP), White House says no (AP) Senate climate bill, backed by capital’s biggest transport reform group, could undermine existing clean-air rules (MoJo Blogs) Gas tax remains a bugaboo, but Dems are pursuing an oil liability fee in wake of Gulf oil […]
Dems, Obama Pushing Back Against Car Dealers’ Consumer Loophole
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Auto dealers lobbied hard to win an exemption from the new consumer protection agency created by Congress’ pending financial reform bill, but their free pass could fall by the wayside today as senior Democrats and President Obama press for a crackdown on deceptive lending practices in all industries. (Photo: AmericaJR.com) The latest salvo in the […]
Specter of Gas Tax Lingers as Rendell, Villaraigosa Push Infrastructure Bank
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Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), two of the nation’s best-known advocates for greater investment in the built environment, today joined several House Democrats in calling for federal action on a National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) — even as questions about how the bank’s scope, and Congress’ resistance to raising sustained […]
Today’s Headlines
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Sen. Kerry (D-MA) on yesterday’s climate bill rollout, in his own words (Grist) Bad sign for that climate bill? Obama statement calls it by the wrong name, citing House version instead (WH Press) Obama urges Senate to defeat auto dealers’ favorite provision in the pending financial reform bill (The Hill) How China is winning the […]
Senate Climate Bill Would Send $6B-Plus to Cleaner Transportation
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Transportation would receive more than $6 billion of the revenue generated by selling carbon emissions permits to fuel providers under a new Senate climate bill introduced today by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), left, Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), center, and John Kerry (D-MA), right, began their climate talks in […]
State DOT Official, Rail Exec Talk High-Speed Rail Infighting, Bureaucracy
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The push for dedicated U.S. high-speed rail funding began anew yesterday with the launch of a campaign aimed at securing $4 billion from Congress for next year’s projects — but hours before that event, federal and state transport officials joined private-sector players for a discussion that highlighted the political challenges facing successful development of fast […]