Posted on 05/10/2012 8:20:54 PM PDT by SmithL
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned the California Legislature today that the Obama administration will not wait until fall for a vote on high-speed rail, urging its approval in a budget vote next month.
"We need to make sure that the commitment is there to obligate the money," LaHood told reporters at the Capitol, where he was meeting with lawmakers and with Gov. Jerry Brown.
The state's commitment, LaHood said, will be demonstrated when lawmakers "put it in the budget and take a vote on it."
Brown and the California High-Speed Rail Authority want to start construction on a $68 billion rail project by early next year, proposing initially to use $2.6 billion in state rail bond funds and $3.3 billion in federal funds. Lawmakers considering allocating that money remain skeptical, however, and the Legislative Analyst's Office has recommended against it.
LaHood said he was at the Capitol to reiterate the Obama administration's commitment to high-speed rail, while "checking signals" in the Legislature.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.sacbee.com ...
I vote “NO”.
What’s going on with these people that they need the vote right now to budget for it when they don’t even have a budget for over 1,000 days, nor are preparing to have one?
I call BS on this.
Obligate what money?
The money that does not exist?
Stinks of a play to enjoin California. Make California subserviant to the Socialist Centralized Federal Government envisioned by the Obama Administration, and handlers.
This would be what IMO the second term of Obama would be about. Going in for the kill.
If Obama wants it...
There must Be corruption Money to be had for Democrats
and other RATs
Nothing new here. You have an administration who has a record of massive borrowing, deficit spending and has accumulated huge unsustainable debts, demands that a bankrupt state spend huge amounts on a showcase green project of dubious economic worth. Of course if Obama is reelected he will “demand” that Congress assume the debts of what should be the country’s wealthiest state.
Guaranteed it won’t be built with Rearden Steel and it will not be called “THE JOHN GALT” line....LOL
Right.
Just who in the hell does this asshole think he is? King of California?
Hey “Ray The Hood” where is Kali going to get the money. Small point I know Ray but worth the thought -—You FOOL!
No, it’s not BS. Patty Murray has a bill in committee in the Senate to fund Gateway Projects around the country, particularly a coal terminal in WA state for the Company that employs her husband. The plan was to transfer the money that was promised for light rail to the freight trains, Warren Buffet’s freight trains because there is not enough profit in shipping coal to justify Buffet spending his own money. The project cannot really go through without the federal funding.
Obama has promised the coal terminal to Richard Trumpka, who was the former head of the United Mine Workers. The primary battle in W. Virginia made this coal terminal even more important to the Obama re-election.
Gotta be a campaign strategy cooking there with Ray the Hood as a key player.
I guess hussein and his cohorts in crime are done trying to bully the Supreme Court around - for now. Guess they’re trying to tell States what to do too. Forget that whole States rights thing. hussein needs something “progressive” to crow about when he’s campaigning in CA.
Let’s see.
Cost 100 billion dollars.
State budget: massive deficit even before spending that much more.
Solyndra, version 2.0. The train.
Perhaps Obama’s lackeys in Hollywood should fund it.
KMA Obama!
He just might.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.