Posted on 01/20/2007 5:15:21 PM PST by BenLurkin
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to scrap a statewide vote on a $10 billion bond measure for a planned high-speed rail system that would connect San Francisco and Los Angeles. The vote is scheduled for 2008, but Schwarzenegger's ambitious plans to rebuild the state's infrastructure will basically max out its bonding capacity.
"When we were putting together the governor's Strategic Growth Plan, it became clear that setting aside enough bonding authority for the high-speed rail project would crowd out the ability to issue bonds for every other purpose," said H.D. Palmer, a state Department of Finance spokesman.
"While high-speed rail could eventually be a key part of the statewide transportation system, the benefit isn't sufficient to outweigh the immediate needs included in the strategic growth plan."
Local proponents of the high-speed rail project - which is supposed to have a stop in Palmdale - aren't concerned about the prospect, however.
"If we were serious, we would be looking at other options to make that happen," Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said. "I think the system was envisioned to be a public-private partnership. … You need public investment in rights of way and easements, and the private sector would come along and build it."
The private investment would be paid back through rider fares.
Rather than the 700-mile-long north-south line, Ledford is more interested in a shorter high-speed segment connecting Palmdale to Union Station in Los Angeles.
State Sen. George Runner, a Lancaster Republican, agrees.
"What we need to do is continue our emphasis on a more commuter-based high-speed rail program that probably has a better chance of attaining public-private partnership money because of ridership," Runner said.
Runner believes the state still could have a role in funding high-speed rail through transportation bonds because a commuter-heavy line could help relieve congestion.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
It's amazing how they get in a frenzy over spending other people's money.
Why aren't the Railroad companies rushing in to serve this market demand?
LOL - Market demand! :-)
Seems to me that what the market demands, outside of a handfull of vocal do-gooders, is plenty of high-speed roads and cheap parking. Anything else tends to serve the fringe at huge expense to the majority.
where's willie green?
We need roads, not rail. I can't believe there's a market demand for such a system between SF and LA.
Good Idea.
The vote is scheduled for 2008, but Schwarzenegger's ambitious plans to rebuild the state's infrastructure will basically max out its bonding capacity.
BAD Idea!
I thought the high speed rail line was supposed to go to Vegas, baby.
ping
How is it considered possible for government types to even say that we could build a RR when they say that building a fence is impossible?
While a bullet train between Frisco and LA would clearly be driven by economic development along its route and not efficient transportation, it smacks of crass politics by the governor to deny a pork transportation project that would create an economic boom in red counties but support the proposed L.A. to the Ocean Subway and other expensive tunnel projects in totally blue counties.
Try doing that on a train.
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