Meeting_Body
MEASURE R INDEPENDENT TAXPAYERS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
MARCH 5, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: BUDGET OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE ORAL REPORT ON METRO’S MY METRO BUDGET ACTIVITY
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE an oral report and provide a live demonstration of the My Metro Budget Activity.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro remains dedicated to fostering transparency with riders, the public, and stakeholders. To uphold this commitment, the budget outreach process continues to engage the public through both traditional and new methods. This includes an interactive budget platform designed for public education and feedback. The “My Metro Budget Activity” aims to educate the public about the complexities of Metro’s annual budget and to gather valuable information from riders. The insights gained will be instrumental in shaping the development of Metro’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget.
Equity Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Marketing efforts have been designed to actively engage residents of Equity Focus Communities (EFC). These efforts have resulted in increased participation from historically underrepresented populations for the past three years. This includes people who do not have regular access to a car, have an income of less than $25,000, and BIPOC communities. Analysis shows that 47% of the My Metro Budget activity respondents live in EFC are as (excluding those outside the analysis) and that their demographics closely mirror both LA County’s overall population and Metro’s ridership profile.
For FY 2026, the budget development process was promoted through a comprehensive outreach strategy. This strategy includes the online budget portal, e-blasts, social media campaigns, traditional advertising, vehicle-based advertisements, and flyer distribution by Metro station staff. Our goal is to ensure that all LA County residents are informed of the opportunity to make their voice heard. This year the Budget Activity has a new translation feature that allows users to select one of the nine most common languages identified in LA County. Further enhancing accessibility, the platform features a visually accessible color scheme and screen reader compatibility.
This approach aligns with Equity Platform and specifically reflects the “Listen and Learn” and “Focus and Deliver” pillars to continue our commitment to equitable engagement and access.
Metro focuses on its riders' priorities through the My Metro Budget Activity. The Activity gathers feedback that is compiled into reports and used by the departments during budget development. This process guides decision making that results in an improvement in service and a budget that aligns with the public’s priorities. Some examples of outcomes include increased investments in Metro Transit Security, shifting to an in-house police department, and more investments in NextGen bus infrastructure.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Oren Ben-Joseph, Director, Budget, 213-922-5523
Giovanna Gogreve, Sr. Director, Finance, 213-922-2835
Reviewed_by
Reviewed by: Nalini Ahuja, Chief Financial Officer, 213-922-3088