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State and Federal Representatives Increase Scrutiny on High-Speed Rail Project
Assemblymen David Valadao and Rich Gordon listen to public testimony at the Assembly Budget Subcommittee Hearing in Palo Alto. Photo credit: Kathy Hamilton
Momentum continues to grow against the California High Speed Rail project, as representatives from Kings County, including Kings County Farm Bureau, repeatedly and consistently projected their voices of concern and opposition to government representatives during a number of public meetings and hearings that have occurred in the last 30 days. Kings County residents, farmers, government leaders and community advocates traveled to Palo Alto, Sacramento, Merced, and as far away as Washington, D.C. to state the impacts to their businesses and community, as well as outline the deficiencies of the project’s management.
On November 15, approximately 10 from Kings County traveled to Palo Alto to attend the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Transportation hearing regarding the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) revised draft business plan. The budget committee #3 was represented by Chairman Rich Gordon of the Peninsula’s 21st District and Assemblymember David Valadao. Assemblymember Jerry Hill was also part of the panel, although not a member of the budget committee.
The hearing provided an opportunity for business and financial analysts and the general public to comment on the recently released new business plan. Comments were overwhelmingly negative, with only a handful of supporters of the project testifying about the benefits. The majority of comments concerned the ballooning cost estimates of $98 billion, which have almost tripled since the original estimate of $33 billion that was presented in 2008.
Other notable concerns included the current economic state of California and the federal government and the capacity for the project’s future funding; that the business plan did not balance economic and job impacts against benefits and therefore, does not properly calculate the net economic benefit; that there is no analysis of the alternative proposal that the Initial Construction Section could be used as an upgrade for Amtrak in the event that no other funding materializes; and that both ridership forecasts and costs comparisons of improving existing modes of transportation are highly exaggerated and inadequately analyzed.
On December 5, approximately 20 Kings County community members traveled by bus to Sacramento to attend the joint hearing of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee and Select Committee on High-Speed Rail. The purpose of the hearing was again to review the CHSRA’s draft 2012 business plan. Attending members included Senators Alan Lowenthal, Joe Simitian, Mark DeSaulnier, Ted Gaines and Michael Rubio. Senator Doug La Malfa also attended, although not a member of either committee.
While the majority of the committee’s discussion focused on the potential lack of future funding, a few refreshing departures from the standard concerns were: 1) “What happens if we reject the federal government’s a $3.6 billion in funding, thereby eliminating spending deadline pressure from the project?” 2) “Exactly what are we receiving for our initial $6 billion investment on the ICS, should future funding not materialize: only a 45-minute improvement on the San Joaquin Amtrak line?” and 3) “Why doesn’t the initial section begin with a much-needed rural to urban connection, such as Bakersfield to Southern California?”
Most public testimony called for an end to the project and termination of the Authority and many questioned the project’s legal compliance with Proposition 1A, citing the recent lawsuit filed by Kings County government, and farm bureau members John Tos and Aaron Fukuda.
On December 13, again approximately 20 from Kings County traveled to Merced to attend the CHSRA Board Meeting. The Authority’s Board was scheduled to vote on staff recommendations regarding a preferred alignment in the Merced to Fresno section, an extension of the public comment period for the 2012 draft business plan, and in the Fresno to Bakersfield section, inclusion of the Hanford West Bypass alignment for an environmental review.
A large number of project supporters attended including labor union members and students from UC Merced. Outside Merced City Council chambers, where the meeting was held, student demonstrators marched carrying a cardboard-constructed train shouting “We will ride!” Union workers held signs touting “jobs.”
Many Central Valley government leaders, such as from Fresno and Madera spoke in support of the project, with representatives from Kings County, Bakersfield and Chowchilla stating concerns and opposition. Public testimony discussed impacts to businesses and farms, deficiencies in the project’s environmental document, incompetent and deceptive communication by the Authority, lack of potential funding and the State and Federal budget deficits.
Two days later, on December 15, Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon and Community Development Agency Director Greg Gatska traveled to Washington D.C. to attend a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, with Gatska testifying on behalf of Kings County. During his testimony, he outlined many impacts to Kings County and the grave planning deficiencies by the Authority, specifically their defiance and disregard for the local government and its citizens.
While committee representatives and the California delegation appeared divided on support for the project, the consensus was that accountability for federal spending was of utmost importance. Some representatives addressed the Authority and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in a combative and indignant manner, directly questioning them on their lack of communication with stakeholders and challenging their numbers, assumptions and planning choices.
Regardless of the number and gravity of the questions, Authority CEO Roelof van Ark and FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo managed to skirt most of the issues, spewing the same tired talking points that have been stated for months: that the growing population of California needs this project, that investing in additional roads and runways will be much more costly, that they are listening to and working with impacted communities and that the project MUST begin in the Central Valley, as it is the “backbone” that will connect the larger metropolitan regions.
Mr. van Ark and Mr. Szabo, will you please just ANSWER the questions?!
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Read our Legal Notice
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