Local media reported that the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday agreed to postpone the collection of a cargo fee that's supposed to generate $1.4 billion for bridge, railway and road improvements around the Port of LA. The infrastructure fee was adopted by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in January 2008, but was never collected because of the national recession and the fact that no specific construction projects were ever approved. The proposal initially called for placing a $15 fee on all loaded 20-foot cargo containers entering or leaving the ports by truck or train beginning January 1, but collection was delayed to July 1, and the fee was cut to $6. The City Council's action follows an earlier move by the Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners to delay the fee collection yet again until July 1, 2010, and examine whether to charge a different amount. Port officials have said that they are also studying whether to completely take the fee off the books.

Source: CIFFA