In the 13 years since California voters narrowly approved $9.95 billion in bond seed money for a statewide bullet train project, there has arguably been only a single upbeat story about it: the 2014 Mercury News report that "private investors across the country and abroad are expressing new interest in bankrolling part of the $68 billion project." But the story fell apart upon the slightest inspection. The investors wanted subsidies if the project was unprofitable, which are forbidden under state law. Some of those described as investors wanted to operate the system, not invest in it.
This was only one example of many of the California High-Speed Rail Authority's denial of reality. Even as the statewide project has shrunk for now to a single approved $22.8 billion, 171-mile link between Bakersfield and Merced — even as the project has broken dozens of promises made to voters in 2008, including abandoning the idea of high-speed tracks in the last 50 miles to San Francisco — even as it falls 10 years behind initial construction goals — the authority continues to downplay problems.
A recent story in the Los Angeles Times reflects this yet again. Reporter Ralph Vartabedian's latest scoop details the likelihood of at least $1 billion in new cost overruns on the Central Valley rail line. The authority has failed to disclose this latest grim news to state lawmakers or the public, just as it hid a $4.6 billion overrun before admitting it in early 2018.
After taking office in 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom initially sounded deeply skeptical of this immense boondoggle. He then backed off under fire from project supporters — mostly Central Valley politicians and construction unions. When he seeks reelection next year, he should be asked why he tolerates this appalling assault on taxpayers.
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