Santa Clarita City Councilman Jason Gibbs has been nominated for appointment to the board of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, better known as Metro, a regional planning group that manages billions in transit investment.
The North County Sector member cities held their weighted vote at a July 9 meeting, where they picked their regional representation on the 14-member Metro board, which has major significance in a region where the demands on local transit systems are growing constantly.
Metro is responsible for shaping how L.A. County residents move through its spending plans for things like the no-sunset, half-cent sales tax, Measure M, which is expected to raise $120 billion over 40 years.
The organization also sets transportation policy for major events, such as the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as well as looking at future planning for everything from bike-lane funding to a bus-line expansion.
Tradition calls for the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to sign off on the region’s pick, which is expected to happen at a July 30 county meeting.
Gibbs was not immediately available for comment Monday, but issued a post on social media, thanking a Glendale City Council member, Ardy Kassakhian, for his nomination. He said he looked forward to representing the area’s diverse transportation needs.
“My passion to represent our sector is born from a desire to help better the lives of all who call Los Angeles County their home,” he wrote in a post Wednesday. “Repairing and fixing freeways that tens of thousands of residents travel to provide for their families, improving the safety and opportunity for residents to travel on dedicated rail and bus systems, and continuing to grow and expand non-motorized transportation routes that accommodate e-bikes and traditional cycling.”
Gibbs’ selection came through a weighted vote by population, from the representatives of the member cities, which include Agoura Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, La Canada, Lancaster, Malibu, Palmdale, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Westlake Village.
The exact breakdown was not immediately available.
Under the weighted-vote model, Santa Clarita has the largest number of votes, 23 out of a total of 99, followed by Glendale (19 votes, for 166,118 people), Lancaster (18 votes; 178,159 people) and Palmdale (17; 166,118). Santa Clarita’s population estimate from Metro was listed as 232,883.
Gibbs beat out two other nominees to get the nod: Dan Brotman of Glendale and Eric Ohlsen of Palmdale.
