This morning, leaders from Southeast Los Angeles cities – known as the Gateway Cities sub-region – elected Fernando Dutra for the second time to the Metro board of directors. This time, Dutra was approved unanimously, after Bell Mayor Ali Saleh, the sole competitor for the seat, decided to not to run for the nomination, clearing a path for Dutra’s approval.
Dutra’s nomination will now return to the countywide committee for ratification.
“Metro is making a lot of decisions that will impact all our constituents’ quality of life for the foreseeable future and we need to make sure that our region has a voice that will advocate for all our needs irrespective of our population size or socio-economic status,” said Saleh at the meeting. “We need somebody that is really going to focus on our cities and I’m proud of the southeast for sticking together”