KTLA News: "Mayor Tom Bradley gives a press conference on public transit" (1973)

[meeting noise] [meeting noise] One of the reasons that government is in  transportation today is because transportation was not self-supporting, and reached a point where in just about every city in the United States it could not be self-supporting. It is a service which the community has to have to survive. We don't contemplate that at any point it will be self-supporting as it stands now. We hope that it will get - there will be enough money along with whatever tax assistance we get to retire all of the bonds that are required and that government now recognizes that transportation is a service which has to be provided and that the people must, in essence, pay for. The Rapid Transit District study proposals which were disclosed today, I think offer an important point of departure  for this community. It gives us a chance to talk about a number of things with regard to the total needs in our community as far as transportation is concerned. I think their efforts with regard to the long-range corridor studies and some of the short-term expansion of the bus system point in the direction that we must go. [Tom Bradley:] I'll be glad to answer your questions. [Man:] Yeah. [Bradley:] The - there are a number of other areas, intermediate steps that I think are going to have to have careful consideration. Whole question of minibuses, Dial-a-Ride, the better use of our peripheral parking, the use of the existing surface streets for contraflow buses, and the kind of areas where we can concentrate our flexible transportation, are going to be important in this long range total transportation system. I think that one item that I would like to emphasize is that if we are going to go to the voters for their support, I'd like to see some kind of equity offered and guaranteed to them. I suggested several weeks to go to RTD that we also include in this total package some reduction of bus fares as we ask people for their support. I think that these things are possible. Atlanta used the system to get support for their measure on the ballot. I think it can work here. [Reporter #1:] Mayor Bradley, if you could [...] [Bradley:] Well, I think you recognize that this is not the total plan that ultimately will be presented to the voters. This really is a beginning point, a point of discussion. And I expect that the public as well as the  various governmental agencies are going to offer significant additional input into that total  plan before anything is presented on the ballot. [Reporter #2:] But you are unhappy with the lack of what you consider to be intermediate proposals to carry the rates until such a time as the rail system itself is actually going? [Bradley:] Oh, I think that we need much more attention to those items. And while I'm not saying that that's a total failure on their part I think it's a significant item that has to be considered. [Reporter #3:] Mr. Mayor, when you spoke of equity offered to the public and you spoke of lower fares, Mr. Newsome said this morning that the fare box would in no way come toward paying the bill here. Would you just as soon see free transportation? [Bradley:] I'd like to but I think that in all candor it's not likely that that can happen. We simply have no means of building this total system, of operating it, and then have free fares. I think that we are going to have to pay something. What I'm suggesting is that if we ask people, for example, for a sales tax increase or whatever the form of subsidy is, I think that if we offer them at the same time some guarantee that their bus fare is going to be reduced, those who are least able to pay and but who are going  to be required to provide a substantial amount of that support will then feel at least they're getting something for their dollar. [Reporter #3:] The finance consultant said that there were six ways  of raising money and they were all taxes to the general public: sales, gasoline, property, and so forth. So why not just get a little bit more and have free transportation? Wouldn't more people vote for it? [Bradley:] I doubt it. [Reporter #3:] Really? [Bradley:] I doubt it. [Reporter #4:] Mayor, the proposal that came up this morning was to raise the fare from 30 cents to 35 cents. [Bradley:] They're far more ready today than they've  ever been in this city. [Reporter:] How do you know that? [Bradley:] Well, just on the basis of the reaction that I get as I talk  to people and as I have talked with them over the last five or six months. I'm convinced that today we have a much better chance of such a plan getting public support than we ever had in the past. [Reporter #5:] Why is, why is this possibility changed since the [...] [Bradley:] Yes, I think that obviously a 60% requirement makes it great deal more difficult to get approval than if you had a 50%. And I believe that the legislature is going to take the necessary action to reduce that number of votes that will be required. Bill has passed the Assembly and I expect that we'll  get support in the Senate for it. [Reporter #6:] When you said [...] the EPA guidelines... [Bradley:] So far, I think, so far as the RTD plan goes, that it's sound. The long-range corridor structure which they have offered. The short-range expansion of the buses. As far as the rest of the elements in a total transportation system, I don't think we've seen enough discussion of that and I would like to see us consider all of these elements before a final decision is made. [Reporter #7:] So you want to go even further than this plan? [Bradley:] Oh yes, I think we have to. [Reporter #8:] What's your position...