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 hard truth of the matter is revealed in actions the Authority has taken to reduce, not increase oversight.
Last year, through a budget trailer bill, the Authority managed to reduce reporting requirements from twice a year to once every two years.
Then this year, when a call for an audit of the Authority was proposed, the Joint Legislative Audit committee Chair, Mike Gibson, received a letter from CEO Jeff Morales, urging no audit be started.
Such an audit is clearly needed. Questions around the 31% ($9.5 billion) increase in building from Merced to Burbank down south, which were revealed only in a hidden report, need to be addressed.
Actions always speak louder than words. Just where are the needed actions from the Authority to increase oversight, rather than weaken and reduce oversight?