[NormsRevenge]

In the words of Al Gore.. B*lls**t!!

This puppy will cost closer to 100 Billion and would likely exceed that figure.

Nothing gets built for this state at the original estimate.. Nothing.

[Jeff Chandler]

Unexpectedly?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It will be a trillion dollars before it’s over.

[ken21]

whatta waste of money.

[blueunicorn6]

Follow the money. Some politicians are already skimming money on this.

[TexasFreeper2009]

It’s a good thing California is in such good financial shape and has billions of extra dollars sitting around to be able to afford this kind of luxury. .... oh wait!

California is BROKE! what the heck are they doing spending a dime on this kind of crud.

[lonerepubinma]

AHH !! Finally something to knock Boston’s “BIG DIG “ off the top of the list of boondoggles.

[Brookhaven]

This is really very serious and needs to stop in its tracks," said state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach

When even Dumbocrats can see the obvious problem we know the tide has finally turned.

[MileHi]

If they get it done they will have the same problem with ongoing operating costs.

[GonzoGOP]

At those prices even Left Coast Democrats will be bailing on this disaster. Especially now that it is obvious that there will be no giant Federal bailouts. Uncle Sugar is broke. And they can't pay for their 1:1 scale model train layout themselves. Willie Green must be so sad over in Zotland :)

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

No, no, no, no, you don’t understand, the more expensive it is, the better.

The only error here is to have these estimates come out BEFORE it is begun. THAT is an error. Because once it is begun, all manner of legal constraints that force CA to pay 2x the actual cost should the project be cancelled will be enacted by a corrupt legislature and so it will from then on be cheaper to complete it rather than cancel it no matter how expensive.

Anyone who thinks this project will recover 1/5th of its costs is to be commended for supporting CA’s economy by smoking very high quality marijuana, unless, that is, it was grown out of state.

[Armando Guerra]

Thank you Florida Governor Rick Scott. He was blasted for turning down federal funds for HSR because of his concerns of the state's liability for cost overruns. You made the right call and it was the courageous one. (Criticized by Charlie Crist of course.) I bet this news from California will get no coverage in Florida.

[afnamvet]

This is the Mother of All Boondoggles. See the Fresno to Merced piece

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/assets/0/152/256/262/36ec5509-75d5-4161-a376-463b6701f7c6.pdf

[hattend]

MONORAIL!

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car Monorail!...
What'd I say?
Monorail!
What's it called?
Monorail!
That's right! Monorail!
I hear those things are awfully loud...
It glides as softly as a cloud.
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll all be given cushy jobs.
Were you sent here by the devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level.
The ring came off my pudding can.
Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it's Springfield's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
Monorail!
What's it called?
Monorail!
Once again...
Monorail!
But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...
Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Mono... D'oh!

[N. Theknow]

and now the cost for the entire rail line is on pace to skyrocket to an eye-popping $60 billion to $80 billion or even more.

I'll take "Even More" for $150 Billion Alex.

And a great big "Thank you" to Governor Rick Scott for telling the feds to take their $2 billion and shove it cause we don't need a high speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando because it will cost more than that and taxpayers will have to subsidize it in perpetuity.

[DoughtyOne]

Voters approve $33 billion for the project...

Costs rise to between $60 to $80 billion, and the project continues without need for another approval.

It’s now projected it may cost as much as $100 billion total, and yet there is no mechanism to return this to the people for continued approval.

This is absolutely nuts. Let me guess, it’s more jobs for Democrats and will stimulate the economy, while burdening taxpayers still further at a time when we have record unemployment, and businesses fleeing the state in droves.

Welcome to what passes for Democrat (Leftist/Marxist) utopia.

[frposty]

I think buses would be a better idea. How many buses could you buy for 60 billion? Put televisions on the buses, give them wi-fi, maybe a refreshment vending machine, and they would become really attractive.

[soycd]

No mention of the millions already spent on environazi orgs to do their “studies” of the effect on sand flies and desert rats.

The state is being run by complete morons.

[BAW]

This is such CRAP. It was sold to the voters as self-supporting, not as a taxpayer supported entity. It was sold as a rail line between LA and Sacramento, not a rail line someplace out in the farmlands. It was to be an initial investment of $10 billion and the rest would be picked up by investors. Now it is waaaaaay more and rising.

Foul. Crap. BS. What more can we say. Kill this monster and put us out of our misery.

[Paleo Conservative]

This puppy will cost closer to 100 Billion and would likely exceed that figure.

More like a billion dollars a mile.

[djf]

CA has what, about 30,000,000 people?
So this amounts to 2,000 dollars for every single person in CA?

Where the heck they gonna get that kind of money?

Seriously, isn’t it time yet for these politicians to get their heads out of their asses?