Schwarzenneger breaks promise and signs a bill

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/26/8 | Matthew Yi

[SmithL]

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who promised not to sign any bills until lawmakers reach a budget deal, reversed his position today and signed a bill for a statewide bullet train system that he strongly supports.

The governor also wants to make exceptions for three other proposals that he has been promoting: budget reform; changing the state lottery to allow California to borrow against future ticket sales; and a bond proposal for water infrastructure.

The high-speed rail legislation will replace a $10 billion bond measure on the November ballot with a revised version of the proposal that makes the bullet train system more appealing to voters statewide.

The legislation, AB3034, adds more specific oversight and spending rules to the plan, which calls for a 700-mile rail system that moves trains between San Francisco and Southern California at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour.

Schwarzenegger had a change of heart because the train rail measure - and his three other proposals - require voter approval, and the window of opportunity to place them on the November general election ballot is closing fast, Aaron McLear, a spokesman for the governor, said today.

Many lawmakers believe the end of this week is the drop-dead deadline.

Lawmakers have balked at the governor's budget reform proposal that includes a rainy-day fund and limits spending. And as for the governor's $9.3 billion water bond proposal, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, has said his first priority isnegotiating a budget deal that is 58 days late.

[SmithL]

Schwarzenegger still has time to keep his promise to "blow up boxes in Sacramento", but I'm becoming less optimistic every day.

[samadams2000]

TOTAL RECALL

[doc1019]

Schwarzenegger has that legacy thing going for him now. Appease as many as possible. ;-)

[Pining_4_TX]

Statewide bullet train system... just what everyone in debt needs. An expensive boondoggle destined to become a perpetual money loser.

[redstateconfidential]

[Pining_4_TX]

ROFL... the only thing missing is that it isn’t stuffed with illegals.

[redstateconfidential]

Shhh, they are in the pipes waiting for their freshly printed benefits cards.....

[Secret Agent Man]

Doesn’t even appear to be statewide - just from San Fran to southern CA.

It’ll be the fastest money-wasting train system in the nation, that’s for sure.

[hsalaw]

the train rail measure - and his three other proposals - require voter approval, and the window of opportunity to place them on the November general election ballot is closing fast

Interesting. In the last election, every single measure that required a tax increase of any nature went down to resounding defeat. Voters even defeated an increase in the cigarette tax, and California voters HATE smokers. So if Arnold thinks his pet train project is a shoo-in with the voters, he's probably wrong.

[TigersEye]

ROTFLOL I wanna see that doing 160 through the CA countryside.

[sheik yerbouty]

“Schwarzenkennedy”..

[stillonaroll]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who promised not to sign any bills until lawmakers reach a budget deal, reversed his position today and signed a bill for a statewide bullet train system that he strongly supports.

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I am very proud of myself that I did not vote for him. :)

This thing will be an astonishingly large waste of money. A rail project over hundreds of miles of sparsely populated portions of the state? It will make the urban light rail projects look like chump change.

Oh well, the illegal aliens need a cheap method of northward travel. :(

[Califreak]

I’m fully expecting him to make exceptions on all the silly ammo/gun laws they’re trying to ram down our throats as well.