AB-1889 (Mullin) – Caltrain sponsored legislation to take funds from High Speed Rail
In the last hour of the Legislative session on Aug 31, final approval was given to AB-1889, which was dispatched to the Governor for his hoped for signature. Pushed though with Democratic caucus support, this bill takes $600 million in funding from the voter approved Prop 1A High Speed Rail bond act and will partially […]
Hijacking the Prop 1A High Speed Rail Funds
Bill AB-1889, a “gut and amend” bill, that appeared suddenly on the scene, is being carried through the Legislature by Assembly Speaker Pro Tem, Kevin Mullin, but is sponsored by the commuter train line, Caltrain. The bill passed through the State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee (T&H) last Thursday ( 6-28-2016) on a 6 to […]
Gov. Brown, Time to Cut the Losses on High Speed Rail
Governor Brown, it is time now to realize being remembered for High Speed Rail, will not be a venture for which you will be proud! The California High Speed Rail project is a disaster. Far from resembling the project approved by the voters with the passage of Prop 1A in 2008, it has morphed into […]
More Oversight, Not Less, Needed for High Speed Rail
At the Thursday (4/28/2016) meeting of the High Speed Rail Authority board, at which the 2016 Business Plan was approved, Chair Dan Richard made the comment: “Both because the recommendations from the peer review group and actually with our supporting this notion of stronger or I would say more visible legislative oversight” Video link here: The […]
High Speed Rail Around the World Requires Government Subsidies
A bedrock contention of the California High Speed Rail Authority states when the California system is finally up and running, the system will operate with a profit. Indeed, the Prop 1A bond act approved by the voters in 2008, mandates the system run without any operating subsidy. The issue keeps popping up, the most recent […]
Evolving California High Speed Rail Now Degraded To Only A Commuter Train!
When voters passed in the November 2008 election, Prop 1A, they approved partially funding a 800 mile High Speed Rail project, that was to run from San Francisco to San Diego. The project was to be constructed quickly and be up and running by 2020. Approved Business plans in 2012 and 2014, then projected construction […]
California High Speed Rail 2016 Business Plan — A Huge Fraud
The California High Speed Rail Authority just released the draft 2016 Business plan for the project. The new plan is a complete revision and now proposes to build the Initial Operating Segment (IOS) from San Jose to about 8 miles north of […]
High Speed Rail Hides from Oversight
The Jan 27 2016, Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing labeled “ Oversight of High Speed Rail” turned out to be anything but a hearing on oversight. (Video of Hearing) The hearing, prompted by pressure from Republicans when an explosive LA Times article reported the Authority had failed to include and ignored cost increases predicted by its prime contractor, […]
Audit the California High Speed Rail Authority
The California High Speed Rail Authority (CSHRA) once again opposes oversight of its actions. On Tuesday the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) held a hearing on the request by State Senator Andy Vidak to have the State Auditor conduct an audit of the Authority’s activities. The Committee on a strictly party line vote denied the request. The […]
The True Nature of the California High Speed Rail Authority
A constant theme portrayed by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) voiced by Board Chair Dan Richard and CEO Jeff Morales is that the California High Speed Rail is the most transparent of any public project. Chair Richard would have you believe the CHSRA, is open, above board and constantly informs the Legislature and […]