First, there was Measure R in 2008 (see below), then there was Measure J in 2012, and then the capstone measure was Measure M in 2016. Only in California would winning 66 percent of the vote be a defeat rather than a landslide victory.  But that’s what happened to Measure J in November 2012.  After the success of Measure R, Metro sponsored Measure J to extend R from 30 to 60 years.  J won 66.1% of the vote, narrowly falling short of the 2/3 voter threshold.  But out of disappointment emerged an opportunity for a really big victory. Measure J had been proposed by Mayor AV’s transportation deputy Jaime de la Vega and Metro Board member Richard Katz. Jaime argued that if voters simply extend the term of Measure R from 30 to 60 years, it would enable Metro to garner much greater bond proceeds and with those funds accelerate the entire Measure R transit program. Unfortunately, Measure J fell short of the 2/3 vote required. 

But out of this defeat came the inspiration for Measure M. If J had expanded the project list in a way that extended transit investments to more communities in the county, perhaps that 2/3 threshold could have been reached.

Measure M would do that . . .