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After a series of misleading statements, a California Supreme Court ruling on illegal ballot language, and two downright dishonest business plans the citizens of California deserve the final say on high-speed rail. To be blunt, the California High Speed Rail Authority could give lessons to Third World dictators on the concept of public misinformation.
For over three years legislators and the public have been assured by the California High Speed Rail Authority that a “public-private partnership” would finance the bulk of the construction. Also, that the project would be in the $33 to $40 billion dollar range for an 800-mile high-speed rail system and any claims to the contrary were absolutely without merit. However, with the recent release of yet another updated business plan, the authority has proven all earlier statements to be false.
In fact, the now proposed 520-mile high-speed rail plan is likely to cost $100 billion. All told when Californians look at the claims made in 2008 versus the reality of the recent business plan we see a significantly shorter track, a 300 percent escalation in cost, no private investment secured, and ridership numbers that still reek of fantasy.
This project was sold to voters as a model for public-private partnerships. Under the original plan, the public was asked to invest nearly $10 billion with the expectation that some federal dollars and private investment would create a $33 billion rail system. Three years later, millions of taxpayer dollars spent on lobbyists, publicists and slick PR campaigns have resulted in a few billion in federal funding and zero dollars in private investment.
You cannot have a public-private partnership without private investment. In recent legislative hearings authority spokesmen relayed that they did not plan on any private financing until after the completion of the project. Public-private is a meaningless term when there is no private.
When it comes to ridership estimates, high-speed rail continues to live in a fantasy world. The updated plan calls for more riders than exist in the entire country, including the east coast high-speed rail system where populations are larger and more compact. The authority believes 43 million will ride when fully established, more than three times the amount that fly between San Francisco and Los Angeles annually.
Finally, when looking at the total cost, $100 billion is a lot more than the $33 billion that was advertised.
And don't forget that $100 billion is just the down payment. That sum only builds 520-miles, far short of the promised 800-mile project connecting Sacramento to San Diego. The complete 800-mile system will likely cost in excess of $150 billion. Californians are being asked to pay a lot more for a lot less and it is unlikely that our debt riddled federal government will give billions more borrowed from China.
Unfortunately, the notion of an efficient, cost-effective, profitable high-speed rail system was sold to the voters on fanciful assumptions that had little basis in reality. Californians deserve honesty from their government, and based on this new — and drastically different picture — the voters should be given the opportunity to confirm whether or not they are still on board.
When the Legislature returns to Sacramento, I am introducing a bill to send this project back to the voters. It's their money and they deserve the final say.
Sen. Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing the 4th Senate District including Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Siskiyou, Sutter, Del Norte, Placer, Trinity, Yuba and Nevada counties.
For over three years legislators and the public have been assured by the California High Speed Rail Authority that a “public-private partnership” would finance the bulk of the construction. Also, that the project would be in the $33 to $40 billion dollar range for an 800-mile high-speed rail system and any claims to the contrary were absolutely without merit. However, with the recent release of yet another updated business plan, the authority has proven all earlier statements to be false.
In fact, the now proposed 520-mile high-speed rail plan is likely to cost $100 billion. All told when Californians look at the claims made in 2008 versus the reality of the recent business plan we see a significantly shorter track, a 300 percent escalation in cost, no private investment secured, and ridership numbers that still reek of fantasy.
This project was sold to voters as a model for public-private partnerships. Under the original plan, the public was asked to invest nearly $10 billion with the expectation that some federal dollars and private investment would create a $33 billion rail system. Three years later, millions of taxpayer dollars spent on lobbyists, publicists and slick PR campaigns have resulted in a few billion in federal funding and zero dollars in private investment.
You cannot have a public-private partnership without private investment. In recent legislative hearings authority spokesmen relayed that they did not plan on any private financing until after the completion of the project. Public-private is a meaningless term when there is no private.
When it comes to ridership estimates, high-speed rail continues to live in a fantasy world. The updated plan calls for more riders than exist in the entire country, including the east coast high-speed rail system where populations are larger and more compact. The authority believes 43 million will ride when fully established, more than three times the amount that fly between San Francisco and Los Angeles annually.
Finally, when looking at the total cost, $100 billion is a lot more than the $33 billion that was advertised.
And don't forget that $100 billion is just the down payment. That sum only builds 520-miles, far short of the promised 800-mile project connecting Sacramento to San Diego. The complete 800-mile system will likely cost in excess of $150 billion. Californians are being asked to pay a lot more for a lot less and it is unlikely that our debt riddled federal government will give billions more borrowed from China.
Unfortunately, the notion of an efficient, cost-effective, profitable high-speed rail system was sold to the voters on fanciful assumptions that had little basis in reality. Californians deserve honesty from their government, and based on this new — and drastically different picture — the voters should be given the opportunity to confirm whether or not they are still on board.
When the Legislature returns to Sacramento, I am introducing a bill to send this project back to the voters. It's their money and they deserve the final say.
Sen. Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing the 4th Senate District including Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Siskiyou, Sutter, Del Norte, Placer, Trinity, Yuba and Nevada counties.
