Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Bullet Train Leader is 'OK' With a Do-Over Vote
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 7 years ago on
March 16, 2018

Share

Dan Richard, the longtime chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, told a Bay Area newspaper columnist Thursday that he is “OK” with allowing voters a second say on the controversial, budget-busting bullet-train project.
“I actually would be OK with that,” Richard told Richard Borenstein, a columnist and editorial page editor of the East Bay Times. “I do think this is a choice that people ought to make. … At some point, sure, I’m happy to call the question with the voters.”

Budget Explodes, Construction Pushed Back

“I do think this is a choice that people ought to make. … At some point, sure, I’m happy to call the question with the voters.” — High-Speed Rail Authority Chair Dan Richard
Richard’s comments came six days after the rail authority revealed that the cost of connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco would be $77.3 billion and could rise as high as $98.1 billion. That was an increase of about $13 billion from 2016 estimates.
In addition, the rail authority said in its 2018 draft business plan released March 9 that the full system would not begin operations until 2033. The authority also pushed back the opening of the statewide bullet-train system’s first phase —San Francisco to Bakersfield — by four years to 2029.
Noted Borenstein in his column: “In 2008, the ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco was forecast to take about 2 1/2 hours and cost $50 one-way, or about $61 in today’s dollars. Today, the authority estimates the ride will take nearly three hours and the fare will be $93.”

Voters Approved Bullet Train in 2008

Voters approved the project, which was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, 52.7% to 47.3% in 2008. Proposition 1A authorized the state to issue $9.95 billion in bonds for high-speed rail. The remainder of the construction funding, proponents said, would come from the federal government and private investors.
To date, private investors have contributed nothing. Federal funding has stalled at the $3.5 billion provided by the Obama administration before the Republicans gained control of Congress.
But contributions from California’s cap-and-trade program are keeping the project afloat. High-speed rail is counting on $8 billion from the fund through 2030.

Brown Remains Bullish on High-Speed Rail


Gov. Brown wrote an open letter to President Trump this week exhorting him to support California’s bullet-train project.
Despite the construction delays and soaring costs, Gov. Jerry Brown remains a big supporter of high-speed rail. In fact, he wrote an open letter to President Donald Trump this week exhorting him to back California’s ambitious but troubled effort.
“You have lamented that ‘we don’t have one fast train’ in our country,’ ” Brown wrote. “Well, Mr. President, in California we are trying to fix that. We have a world-class train system under construction.”
You can read Borenstein’s entire column at this link. 
 
 

DON'T MISS

Senate Rebukes Trump’s Tariffs as Some Republicans Vote to Halt Taxes on Canadian Imports

DON'T MISS

Supreme Court Sides With the FDA in Its Dispute Over Sweet-Flavored Vaping Products

DON'T MISS

Trump Announces Sweeping New Tariffs to Promote US Manufacturing, Risking Inflation and Trade Wars

DON'T MISS

Fresno Firefighters Save Dog From Canal and Now She’s Ready for Adoption

DON'T MISS

Big Brands Spend Just Enough on X to Avoid Musk’s ‘Naughty List’

DON'T MISS

Judge Dismisses Corruption Case Against New York City Mayor Eric Adams

DON'T MISS

State Center Trustees Render Split Decision on Future of PLAs

DON'T MISS

California’s Schools Chief Has a $200,000 Salary and a Side Gig

DON'T MISS

Why Project Labor Agreements Are Good for Our Schools and Students: Opinion

DON'T MISS

Trump Proposes Tax Deduction for Auto Loan Interest on US-Made Cars

UP NEXT

Supreme Court Sides With the FDA in Its Dispute Over Sweet-Flavored Vaping Products

UP NEXT

Trump Announces Sweeping New Tariffs to Promote US Manufacturing, Risking Inflation and Trade Wars

UP NEXT

Fresno Firefighters Save Dog From Canal and Now She’s Ready for Adoption

UP NEXT

Big Brands Spend Just Enough on X to Avoid Musk’s ‘Naughty List’

UP NEXT

Judge Dismisses Corruption Case Against New York City Mayor Eric Adams

UP NEXT

State Center Trustees Render Split Decision on Future of PLAs

UP NEXT

California’s Schools Chief Has a $200,000 Salary and a Side Gig

UP NEXT

Why Project Labor Agreements Are Good for Our Schools and Students: Opinion

UP NEXT

Trump Proposes Tax Deduction for Auto Loan Interest on US-Made Cars

UP NEXT

Western US Sees Sharp Increase in Extreme Weather Impact

Fresno Firefighters Save Dog From Canal and Now She’s Ready for Adoption

10 hours ago

Big Brands Spend Just Enough on X to Avoid Musk’s ‘Naughty List’

10 hours ago

Judge Dismisses Corruption Case Against New York City Mayor Eric Adams

10 hours ago

State Center Trustees Render Split Decision on Future of PLAs

10 hours ago

California’s Schools Chief Has a $200,000 Salary and a Side Gig

11 hours ago

Why Project Labor Agreements Are Good for Our Schools and Students: Opinion

11 hours ago

Trump Proposes Tax Deduction for Auto Loan Interest on US-Made Cars

12 hours ago

Western US Sees Sharp Increase in Extreme Weather Impact

12 hours ago

Amazon Said to Make a Bid to Buy TikTok in the US

12 hours ago

Fresno Man Found Dead, Coroner’s Office Seeks Help Finding Family

12 hours ago

Senate Rebukes Trump’s Tariffs as Some Republicans Vote to Halt Taxes on Canadian Imports

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night that would thwart President Donald Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada, ...

5 hours ago

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, is joined from left by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., as they speak to reporters about President Donald Trump's tariffs on foreign countries, at the Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
5 hours ago

Senate Rebukes Trump’s Tariffs as Some Republicans Vote to Halt Taxes on Canadian Imports

9 hours ago

Supreme Court Sides With the FDA in Its Dispute Over Sweet-Flavored Vaping Products

9 hours ago

Trump Announces Sweeping New Tariffs to Promote US Manufacturing, Risking Inflation and Trade Wars

A young Labrador mix rescued from a Fresno canal on Sunday, March 2, 2025, is thriving in a foster home after overcoming fear and trauma. (Instagram/Fresno Animal Center)
10 hours ago

Fresno Firefighters Save Dog From Canal and Now She’s Ready for Adoption

10 hours ago

Big Brands Spend Just Enough on X to Avoid Musk’s ‘Naughty List’

10 hours ago

Judge Dismisses Corruption Case Against New York City Mayor Eric Adams

10 hours ago

State Center Trustees Render Split Decision on Future of PLAs

11 hours ago

California’s Schools Chief Has a $200,000 Salary and a Side Gig

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend