No road taxation without representation

Deirdre Newman

City streets receive a stream of cars emptying off the Costa Mesa

Freeway nearly every hour, and another torrent of vehicles cruise

from Santa Ana down the main thoroughfare of Harbor Boulevard.

With all the traffic that pummels its streets daily, however, the

city has never had an elected representative on the Orange County

Transportation Authority Board of Directors, an agency that initiates

and oversees transportation projects on freeways, streets and buses

for the county’s 2.8-million people.

That changed Nov. 18, when Mayor Gary Monahan was appointed to the

board for a one-year term starting in January. Monahan said he is

looking forward to finally giving Costa Mesa a voice on regional

traffic issues.

“I’ve always had a big interest in traffic issues, and Costa Mesa

in some ways is almost a center in Orange County,” he said. “It’s

probably the most important issue that we face as local officials.”

Monahan’s appointment is the result of state legislation recently

passed that enables the board to have 10 city representatives, up

from six.

Monahan has been an ardent supporter of CenterLine, the 9.3-mile

light-rail system slated to run through Costa Mesa from Santa Ana to

John Wayne Airport. That will continue when he is on the board, he

said.

“It’s a major project for [the authority], and my involvement will

help just keep our interest at the forefront,” Monahan said.

He is also interested in making sure the disabled have access to

bus service, he said.

Monahan’s experience on the council and finesse working with

leaders of other cities will serve him well on the board, said Ann

Shultz, the city’s legislative and public affairs manager.

“Gary always looks at balancing the needs of the business

community with political concerns as well,” Shultz said. “That’s

always been one of his areas of emphasis. Of course, transportation

is pivotal [to business]. He’s good at building consensus and working

with his counterparts in other cities.”

Monahan will be sworn in at the board’s Jan. 10 meeting and will

be one of 17 voting members.