A new interactive tool could help shape the future of Los Angeles County’s transportation system and the public is encouraged to participate in the process.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, aka L.A. Metro, is asking for input as it develops its budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
The transit agency has launched an online tool that allows users to tweak the allocation of Metro’s theoretical $9.1 billion budget to prioritize (or de-prioritize) certain services.
The initiative, Metro says, aims to increase education and transparency about Metro’s revenue and spending, while also collecting important information about those who use or are thinking about using Metro.
Bus service, train service, cleaning, maintenance and public safety are among the options that can be adjusted with a general guideline of staying within the existing budget parameters.
Minor changes to the operations budget can slash or add tens of millions of dollars to the budget, while other program, like the Metro Micro pilot program, which Metro admits is a money-losing venture, can be pared down to a smaller scale.
Should Metro spend more on law enforcement services or shift more of those resources toward homeless and mental health outreach services? Should more cash be diverted to active transportation projects like bike-share initiatives? How much should be spent on cleaning Metro’s buses, trains and stops?
Those are all questions that you can answer through the interactive budget tool.
The tool will ask you a few questions regarding your home address and demographic, and it will track those responses.
While there is a lot of customization, there are some parts of the budget that can’t be adjusted. You can’t increase revenue through increasing passenger fares or increasing toll fees. You can’t cancel existing construction projects or increase budget allocation to the project of your choice — most of that money is already set in stone or already accounted for in future budgets.
“When creating your Metro budget, you may notice that some categories are locked and cannot be modified. Many of these categories are funded by LA County voter-approved resources. Metro cannot freely reallocate these funds without further voter action,” the website reads.
The $9.1 billion budget is based off the 2024 fiscal year, rounded to the nearest million.
And while the tool recommends staying at or under budget, there’s nothing stopping you from slashing or even tripling spending. Keep in mind, however, the more outlandish responses likely won’t contribute much toward the overall decision-making process.
As extra incentive for providing feedback, those who play around with the budget tool and submit their results can enter to win a $50 gift card or a TAP card with one year of free rides.
To tweak the Metro budget and help make regional transportation better for all, click here.