Posted on 08/15/2010 2:37:07 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
For the next minute, imagine yourself at a car dealership. You're strapped for cash but find a sleek new ride and ask the salesman for a deal.
He quotes you a number that's four times what you have in the bank. And, he warns, even that price isn't fixed -- there's no guarantee you won't pay more in the end.
What do you do?
For California, the lure of its new ride -- a bullet train system capable of whisking passengers between the Bay Area and Los Angeles -- has proved so enticing that the state jumped at the deal, even though it has only a quarter of the money needed.
That's leading some critics to ask whether the state's largest project ever could also prove to be its most financially disastrous.
California is less than two years from the planned start of construction on the nation's first high-speed rail line, which would open in 2020. The trains will zip along the Caltrain corridor from San Francisco to San Jose and then on to Anaheim, a three-hour journey end to end.
It has the potential to create jobs while offering a cheaper, greener and faster form of travel. It could also be another nail in the state's financial coffin.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority, created to carry out the project, told voters in 2008 that the rail line would cost $33.6 billion. The price has since jumped 27 percent, to $42.6 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Who pays?
clang clang clang went the bell
toot tooot toot went the horn
bye bye bye went your dollar
down down dowwwwn .. the drain
who will pay for it? obviously, the taxpayers...
all over the country
the 10% of the country that will be paying everything starting jan 1
taking their money... and giving it to other people
We’re the host and the choo choo leeches are the parasite.
I feel a bailout a comin’
Do you remember when private tycoons paid for rail lines? now it is a burden on everyone.
Ask Willie Green; he’ll pay, and be more than happy to use your dollars to do so.
Not to worry, its going to be built by stoners who won’t even remember if they have been paid or not.
MARIJUANA!
Posted on Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:07:25 AM by NormsRevenge
Reporting from Sacramento - California's high-speed rail commission, dominated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's appointees, is set to award a $9-million contract today to a company led by the governor's top political advisor and his former campaign manager.
The three commission staff members charged with recommending a public relations firm have advised the board to give the contract to Mercury Public Affairs at its meeting today. Schwarzenegger strategist Adam Mendelsohn is a partner at Mercury, as is Steve Schmidt, who managed the governor's 2006 reelection effort.
Two members of the staff panel are former Mendelsohn colleagues.
Allll aBoarrrd!! 8-}
Somebody was tootin’ something at the ol’ station when thye boondoggled this oe on the ballot.... I’m for solar powered buses and trains myself.. The power just comes from the sky.. It’s FRee!!
shades of All in the Family II
I say make Willie pay.
>It has the potential to create jobs while offering a cheaper, greener and faster form of travel
In every possible expansion of government spending, they always quote that “it will create jobs” when the only jobs created are government union jobs that have to be endlessly paid for by non government workers, who seem to have become the slaves to the civil servants and their unions.
I’m sure there is a disclaimer on your ticket that the system has safeguards to maximize safety but ‘stuff happens’ and they ain’t liable.... Of course, stopping a train like that quickly is gonna mean a lot of tossed around folks.
And what in the hell do you do when you get to your destination? Rent a car that the communists will take over the rental firms.
The only thing high speed rail is faster at is a faster way to lose money.
Unreal.. no really unreal. California the land of each house has at least 3 cars parked in each driveway. Nobody does mass transit. More money going to special interests!
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