The California High-Speed Rail Authority is using a legal maneuver to shield itself from future lawsuits over its bond allocation. This is a wise move that will keep this important project moving ahead. Read More
The Public Policy Institute of California released a poll Wednesday showing that likely voters are opposed to spending $68 billion on high-speed rail by a margin of 54 to 43 percent. And who could blame them? They voted in 2008 to endorse a $42.6 billion plan that would require $9.95 billion in state bonds and the rest from the federal government and private funding. Read More
Fewer than half of likely California voters support the state’s proposed high-speed rail project at its current price tag, according to a poll released Wednesday.
In 2008, 52 percent of voters backed a $9.95 billion bond measure for the high-speed rail network. However, the projected cost of the plan has gone from $34 billion to $68 billion since then. Read More
Earlier this month, the state Legislature passed Senate Bill 1029, authorizing the issuance of $2.7 billion in state bonds to begin construction of the nation’s largest transportation project — California high-speed rail — as well as authorizing an additional $2 billion in bonds to match local and federal funds for related projects. Read More
The California state Senate gave a nod of approval to the state's high-speed rail plan on Friday in a make-or-break vote for funding to start construction on a project whose overall cost has been pegged at $68 billion.The project, expected to take decades to complete, was championed by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, who says a bullet train network will boost job creation and provide an alternative to car and plane travel in the country's most populous state. Read More
The state Senate will vote today on releasing $2.7 billion in funds for California’s high-speed rail project, a decision that will likely define the fate of the $68 billion undertaking.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority and Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to start construction on the project in the Central Valley has drawn criticism from some state senators, who said the money would be better spent in developed areas such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Read More
Despite a decision by the House of Representatives to cancel all funds for high-speed rail projects this year, the architects of California’s bullet train proposal said the setback will have little effect on their plans.The Republican-led House opted to defund about $100 million designated for high-speed rail plans Thursday, a move that came as little surprise from a group that has targeted large government projects for cuts. Read More
From its inception, California’s high-speed rail project had two troublesome aspects: It was a dreamy solution in search of a problem, and it could become a money pit draining taxpayers’ money better spent on other, more cogent needs.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority, whose credibility has been shredded by countless missteps, unveiled a much revised “business plan” Tuesday that largely deals with the money-pit issue. Read More
The cost of high-speed rail will be pricey, but California will have to shell out even more money if the project isn’t built, according to the agency overseeing the project. Read More
Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Dan Richard, a former BART board member, to the California High-Speed Rail Authority.Richard, a Piedmont resident, sat on the BART board for 12 years, serving the regional transportation agency from 1992 to 2004. A Democrat, Richard will replace Curt Pringle, the former chair of the authority who resigned last month. Brown posted his appointment of Richard to the nine-person body on Friday. Read More
