DOWNTOWN — Santa Monica City Councilwoman Pam O’Connor has been re-elected to serve on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, a post she’s held since 2001.
O’Connor was unanimously chosen to serve a third four-year term on Thursday by representatives from the 20 Westside and Southbay cities she represents.
“I feel very honored and very happy that that the cities have the confidence in me and the job I’ve done,” she said.
The Thursday vote came at a meeting of the City Selection Committee in Monterey Park, O’Connor said. Her election will have to be ratified at a full meeting of representatives from L.A. County cities in February.
O’Connor said the focus for Metro over the next four years will be to use revenue from Measure R, the half percent county-wide sales tax increase approved by voters in 2008 to fund highway and rail projects in the region.
Metro is trying to win Congressional support for a plan to expedite the projects, but could run into new difficulties now that the U.S. House is controlled by a Republican party that includes many new representatives who have promised to keep a close eye on federal spending.
nickt@www.smdp.com