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Uploaded: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 10:53 AM
Legislative analyst: 'Deny high-speed rail funding'
Nonpartisan legislative adviser says rail authority has failed to justify latest plan
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California legislators should deny Gov. Jerry Brown's requests for all but minimal funding for the California High-Speed Rail Authority in the current budget process, the Legislative Analyst's Office recommended Tuesday, April 17.
The nonpartisan analyst's office, which provides fiscal and policy advice to the Legislature, said the rail authority has failed to provide sufficient detail and justification for its plan to build a high-speed train system.
"Specifically, funding for the project remains highly speculative and important details have not been sorted out," Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said in a 12-page report.
In its most recent business plan, the rail authority projected the first phase of the project will cost $68 billion. However, the authority has secured only about $9 billion in voter-approved bond funds and $3.5 billion in federal funds.
Consistent with the new business plan, Brown's 2012-13 budget plan requests $5.9 billion to continue the project, consisting of $2.6 billion in state bond funds matched with $3.3 billion in federal funds to start construction in the Central Valley.
In addition, about $800 million is requested to improve existing passenger rail services and about $250 million to complete preliminary design work and environmental reviews for various sections of the project.
"In this brief report, we find that HSRA has not provided sufficient detail and justification to the Legislature regarding its plan to build a high-speed train system," the analyst said.
"We recommend the Legislature not approve the governor's various budget proposals to provide additional funding for the project. However, we do recommend that some minimal funding be provided to continue planning efforts that are currently underway."— Chris Kenrick Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Hardin, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Apr 18, 2012 at 11:17 am Let's hope the governor and the state Legislature see this report for what it can be: political cover to make the right choice and cancel this project.
The current budget situation and the other more important issues that California faces provides opportunity costs that far outweigh any project benefits HSR may provide in the foreseeable future.
Great idea, wrong time, wrong team, and wrong execution.
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Posted by Proud Member of The Sierra Club, a resident of the Rex Manor neighborhood, on Apr 18, 2012 at 2:29 pm The UNIONS will never allow High Speed Rail to go away as it represents far too much money for their union and the Democratic Party - so let's get on-board rather than delay.
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Posted by CHUCK, a resident of the Gemello neighborhood, on Apr 18, 2012 at 7:55 pm SOME ONE PLEASE PUT A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT TO RECEND THIS RIDICULOUS ISSUE. IT IS AN ILL CONCIEVED, SELF-SERVING CONCEPT BENEFITING ONLY THOSE WHO WILL GAIN huge FROM IT (CONTRACTORS, UNIONS, CHINESE, SUPPLIERS, ETC) GROSSLY EXPENSIVE FOR A BASICLY BANKRUPT STATE (STATE PARKS CLOSED, SCHOOLS CUTBACK)(FEDERAL MONEY ALSO COMES FROM US) AND UNTIMELY. PEOPLE WILL NOT GET OUT OF THEIR CARS FOR TWO MILES AT SHORELINE WHY WOULD THEY GIVE UP THEIR FREEDOM AND FLEXABILITY TO AND IN LA?
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Posted by Hardin, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Apr 19, 2012 at 8:13 am though i agree that hsr should be eliminated, a ballot measure is the absolutely wrong way to go about doing that.
it was a ballot measure that got us into this predicament in the first place. i would go so far as to postulate that the proposition system employed in california is seriously broken and dysfunctional, and actually creates more problems than it solves.
there are good reasons why direct democracy doesn't work well in large populations...what may work well at the townhall level isn't necessarily the best thing for a state as big as california. though the original intent of the proposition is noble, its been corrupted to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and prevents a coordinated, long term outlook for the state.
it should be scrapped, just like HSR.
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Posted by Hardin, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Apr 19, 2012 at 8:21 am "it should be scrapped, just like HSR."
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pardon me, i meant "hsr".
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Posted by Steven Nelson, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Apr 20, 2012 at 12:03 pm I would tend to agree (as common) with Hardin's comments. But the proper way to exert influence on this issue (the Legislature allowing the Bonds to be sold) is to exert political pressure on the Legislature [i.e. representative democracy].
Assemblyman Fong, State Senator Alquist are our local Legislative representatives. They will sometimes surprise you! [ both voted to end Redevelopment - like the 43 yr old Castro Street district ] email AND snail mail are most effective - together
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