Posted on 07/06/2012 4:39:00 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- California lawmakers approved billions of dollars Friday in construction financing for the initial segment of what would be the nation's first dedicated high-speed rail line, eventually connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The state Senate voted 21-16 on a party-line vote after intense lobbying by Gov. Jerry Brown, Democratic leaders and labor groups.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
The train to nowhere....
It serves no economic purpose, and its impact on the capital sources in California assures that the once favored land will be reduced to about the level of, say, Argentina.
But without the romanticism of the Perons.
I guess California is just one giant insane asylum.
Insanity, to say nothing of the fact that the resedigned train project violates the terms approved by voters.
I pity each and every rational person living in CA. Should be a couple handfuls or so.
They get 3 billion dollars from the rest of the country to throw away- if they throw away 3 billion of California’s...
“IT’S A TRAP!”
yet another sad day in california - there are too many.. Some may laugh at the idiocy, but california is in the process of dragging the rest of the country down.
“The state Senate voted 21-16 on a party-line vote”
At least there is a difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. That is one bright spot. Hopefully, there are enough sane Californians who will vote no on Brown’s tax increase ballot initiative in November. If California has enough money for this boondogle they can do without a tax increase.
Forget it Jake, it's Sacramento.
The first chunk of money will go to the purchase of the right-of-way, correct? Naturally the cost will be higher than estimated and use up all the funding. Precious few jobs will actually be created. Meanwhile, the connected landowners get theirs and reluctant farmers get screwed over by eminent domain.
This is great news for lawyers, land use consultants, and appraisers.... manna from the golden goose in Sacramento....All praise Lord Jerry! /sarc
How much of the cost of building and running Jerry Brown’s train will fall on US taxpayers outside of California? People living there may want a folly, but don’t make others pay.
Maybe God will be able to shift the San Androus fault to the Nevada Calif border - err, include Las Vegas - and just dump all these idiots into the sea!
I accept your pity.
I can fly from 3 convenient Bay area airports to 3 convenient LA airports plus San Diego for $58 with proper planning.
WASS in Californina. My wife and I are retiring in 18 months and are looking to move out of CA. Any thoughts?
Oh, I have 10,000 rounds of .223 if that helps.
Yep. This money will get used up before anything gets built, what with environmental suits, land taking suits, strikes, etc, etc, etc.
Yes, it is a Train to Somewhere - Bankruptcy.
My husband and I enjoy visiting Utah. St. George is especially beautiful.
I won’t predict victory, but I think there is a good chance, maybe a 45% chance, that the CA voters will vote to stop high speed rail in an upcoming ballot proposition.
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2012/120225.pdf
They can’t build this thing because the environmentalists will tie it up in court for years. Long before they can have an approved environmental document, this proposition will be on the ballot. If it passes, they can’t spend a penny of the bonds sold to raise money for it.
So this rush today to approve and sell the bonds for HSR will be nullified if the new Stop HSR prop passes. That’s a big “if”, I know. But I really think many people are now wise to this project. They know it will cost well over $100 billion.
The original proposition passed 53% to 47%. With the continuing economic depression and budget deficits, I think there is a good chance the Stop HSR prop passes.
California HSR is not a done deal yet. We can still kill it.
Where’s ZORO when you need him?
The Sacramento politicians will love it because without flying anymore, they will be able to zoom down to their districts in Southern California. In fact this whole entire boondoggle really appears to be a way so the politicians in the Sacramento area offices and their staff can soar back and forth from Sacramento to their southern California offices.
I think this thing is basically going to be their private rail line and it is going to cost $200 billion when all is said and done. It wouldn't surprise me if they have secure, unannounced, secret VIP cars for politicians and their staff.
Anyway, without further ado, look at the rink-a-dink garbage cities serviced by this line. You have San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, and a whole lot of nothing else.
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