Clamor for a Valley Transit Agency May Be Misplaced

Time and again, the message from Washington has been as loud and clear as a train whistle: If the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is to succeed, it must be free from the political skulduggery that has turned it into a local laughingstock. But time and again, that message gets ignored by the politicians who run the MTA, sometimes right into the ground. The most recent example: Seven members of the Los Angeles City Council supported a proposal to create a semiautonomous transit district in the San Fernando Valley.

Though The Times does not oppose the effort, we find it curious that the move comes just as the drive for Valley secession gears up and the MTA appears to have a boss willing to tame the agency’s bureaucracy. Julian Burke’s tough approach to the transit agency suggests better times ahead. But years of miscues and broken promises have left Valley residents understandably suspicious.

Rather than create a new agency, last week’s motion simply asks for a study to see if such a split would be feasible. An actual split would require quite a bit of work--and maybe even approval from the state Legislature. Supporters argue, however, that a separate agency could respond better to the Valley’s transportation needs. More convincing is their admission that the motion is an effort to keep Los Angeles intact by trying to appease secession advocates.

There’s nothing wrong with agitating for better local service, whether it’s more buses or more cops. But isn’t that what City Council members are supposed to do anyway? The Valley’s secession movement stems from a feeling that City Hall ignores the region’s needs. It’s a feeling that took decades to grow and it won’t die just because local politicians make a few high-profile attempts to identify with constituents.

The feeling that the Valley can do a better job on its own is pervasive these days. But the bottom line is that the Valley’s representatives already have a seat at the table--both at City Hall and on the MTA’s governing board. Instead of pining about how much better a new agency would be, they ought to focus their energy on making better the agencies that already exist. Yes, it’s a tough job--but it’s one they get paid to do.