Good morning, readers. Welcome to the Maven’s Morning Coffee — a listing of the important headlines, news conferences, public meetings and announcements you need to know to fuel up and tackle your day.

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Today is Friday, April 20, 2012, and here is what’s happening in Los Angeles:

Headlines

• A Los Angeles Times editorial declares Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa really is the “transportation mayor.” “Villaraigosa has presided over a term of unparalleled growth in the city’s transit network. So it’s not surprising that with just a year left in office, he used his State of the City address to propose an initiative that would put his stamp on L.A.’s transportation system for decades to come.”
• Villaraigosa appeared on KPCC’s Airtalk and KCRW’s Which Way, L.A.? yesterday to talk about an extension of Measure R and his budget proposal, which will be released this afternoon.
• Over at LA Biz Observed, Mark Lacter writes that the mayor should be prepared for more pushback on his tax extension proposal. “In retrospect, the first Measure R didn’t receive nearly the amount of attention it should have – and don’t forget it was only after the vote that Villaraigosa came up with his cockamamie 30-10 plan. The free ride would appear to be over,” according to Lacter.
• CBS 2 questions whether the husband of one of the city’s general managers received preferential treatment when his car was pulled over and impounded by the Los Angeles Police Department. 
• Here is audio from yesterday’s Metro meeting where Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich likened the 2008 passage of Measure R to a “gang rape.”

9:30 a.m. Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal will join with the Auto Club to commission the region’s only electric vehicle charging truck. Auto Club Headquarters, 2601 S. Figueroa St.

1 p.m. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will release his budget for FY 2012-13. City Hall.

Meetings

10 a.m. Los Angeles City Council, City Hall, Council Chamber

• Confirmation of commissioners to the Board of Animal Services
• Ceremony marking 97^th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide

Announcements

I am very pleased to announce that The City Maven is moving to KPCC. As of Monday, I will be the politics blogger for the station’s digital media department.

The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will recognize these fine journalists at its May 8 banquet: Bob Pool of the Los Angeles Times; Howard Fine of the Los Angeles Business Journal; Bob Moon of Marketplace; Lisa Bartley of ABC 7; and Jesus Sanchez of The Eastsider LA. KPCC 89.3 FM’s Madeleine Brand will MC the event. RSVP here.

To have an event or announcement listed, please email the Maven here.