Mayor is presented with 100's MTA bus service report cards. 

BRU takes it to City Hall Chambers and the County Board of Supervisors Hearing Room!

A week after we held a press conference to unveil the results of our 2300 person survey that gave MTA bus service a D average, the BRU Action Committee decided it was time to step outside of the MTA Board room and visit Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilmember Jose Huizar and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in their home turf.

This decision came after months of BRU members and allies like SEIU Local 1877 and priests like Father Bill Delaney of Saint Agnes Church writing letters and speaking at MTA Board meetings asking our key targets, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilmember Jose Huizar and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to do the right thing for job creation and public transit improvements by adopting the BRU's Clean Air and Economic Justice Plan. There has been continued silence on our plan yet the highway and rail expansion forces on the MTA Board are working to approve a 30-year 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) which would lock-in over 14 fare increases, bus service cuts and increase more debt accrual in order to move other costly projects.

Mayor Villaraigosa, Councilmember Huizar and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas are not the only members on the MTA Board but given whom they represent and their own progressive histories they have a responsibility to respond to the needs bus riders have expressed.

The plan was to kick off the week visiting Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and address him at the County Board of Supervisors weekly meeting to present to him the 100's of postcards asking him to adopt the BRU's Clean Air and Economic Justice Plan and ask him to meet with the BRU one on one to discuss what he is willing to do to protect the 20% of Measure R funds designated for the Bus System Improvement Plan (BSIP).

• Ian Sawyer reports on what went down at the County Board of Supervisors weekly meeting

The very next day we would visit Council member Jose Huizar at the Wednesday City Council meeting to present to him 1248 postcards collected on buses that pass through his district. Councilmember Huizar and Mayor Villaraigosa are the voice for the Los Angeles City Council on the MTA Board. 80% of bus riders live within the LA City boundaries and Mayor Villaraigosa controls four votes on the MTA Board. The BRU would ask City Council to hold the Mayor and the Councilmember to the task of representing the needs of 80% of MTA's bus riders that live within the city boundaries.

• An account from member Reggie Streeter on delegation visits to City Councilmembers on Day 2

• BRU Member Rosa Miranda reports on a serendipitous run-in with Mayor Villaraigosa on Day 2

Last stop would be a delegation visit to the office of Mayor Villaraigosa, one of the most influential Directors on the MTA and the person we believe can and should champion the BRU's Clean Air and Economic Justice Plan, lock-box the 20% of Measure R funds for the BSIP and take the fare increases and service cuts off the 2009 LRTP. Despite the last few months of getting calls, letters and postcards in to the Mayor along with a 100 person rally at his inauguration, the Mayor has yet to publicly support the BRU's plan. This delegation visit was the first step in a new set of tactics to pick up the pace...and call the question on the Mayor - will you stand up and fight for Civil Rights?!

Read our blogs to find out how the day unfolded and what our next steps are!!

BONUS - check out our slide show