Murrieta Councilman Among Newly Sworn SCAG Officers

From Murrieta City Council: Murrieta City Council Member Randon Lane was sworn in on May 3, 2018, as Second Vice President of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), stressing the need for additional dollars to fund transportation improvements and enhance the quality of life in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

In addition to Lane, other SCAG officers sworn in were Ontario Mayor pro Tem Alan D. Wapner as President of SCAG and First Vice President William "Bill" Jahn, Mayor of Big Bear Lake. Margaret Finlay, a Duarte City council member, will remain on SCAG's Executive Committee as Past President.

"SCAG is in a unique position, as the only venue in Southern California that can unite all the region's counties and cities," said Second Vice President Randon Lane, who is entering his first term on SCAG's Executive Board. "We have a tremendous opportunity, and responsibility, to ensure that Southern California's transportation system grows in a connected, sustainable way."

Wapner, who also serves as President of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and the Ontario International Airport Authority, has helped drive SCAG's three most recent Regional Transportation Plans and is a leading voice on the relationship between transportation, economic opportunity and livability.

"We're a region of 19 million people on the fast track toward 23-24 million," Wapner said of the six counties and 191 cities that comprise SCAG, the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization. "Making sure we have the infrastructure in place to manage that kind of growth is a critical issue that can no longer be pushed aside by those at the state and federal level who rely on us as an economic driver. The good news is the needle is moving; it's just not moving fast enough."

During the tenure of these new executive officers, SCAG will begin developing its 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) - a long-range visioning plan that balances future mobility and housing needs with economic, environmental and public health goals.

Key elements of the plan are likely to include:

• How to incentivize the use of public and alternative forms of transportation. Recent studies show that the SCAG region added 2.1 million vehicles between 2000 and 2015, and that the average Los Angeles resident now wastes over 100 hours per year in traffic.
• The growing popularity of active transportation, and how to encourage greater bicycle and pedestrian safety. In recent years, SCAG has been at the forefront of this effort through its Go Human advertising and public engagement campaign.
• The impact of land-use decisions on commuter patterns, air quality and community health.
• Preserving Southern California's role as a global trade gateway. SCAG research has shown that one-third of all jobs and economic activity in the six counties are connected - directly and indirectly - to freight and goods movement.

The swearing in of Wapner, Jahn and Lane took place on May 3, the first full day of SCAG's 53rd Annual Regional Conference and General Assembly in Indian Wells.

President Alan Wapner has been a member of the Ontario City Council for nearly 24 years, and a resident of the city for more than 35 years. As a representative on SCAG's Regional Council, he has chaired the Transportation Committee, Audit Committee and the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee. First Vice President Bill Jahn was first elected to the Big Bear Lake City Council in 2004, re-elected in 2008, 2012 and again in 2016. He is currently serving as mayor. In addition to holding leadership roles on the Big Bear Lake Improvement Agency, the Big Bear Fire Authority and the Big Bear Lake Planning Commission, Mayor Jahn has also chaired SCAG's Community, Economic and Human Development Committee. Second Vice President Randon Lane has served the City of Murrieta for 15 years, first serving on the Planning Commission before being elected to the City Council. During his tenure, he has prioritized investments in infrastructure and public safety. As a member of SCAG's Regional Council, Councilmember Lane represents District 5 and the cities of Murrieta, Temecula, Hemet and San Jacinto.

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