Dems finally vote against dumb high-speed rail project

Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

John Pritchett

In the SF Chronicle:

In an unprecedented move, a bipartisan majority of the state Assembly rebuked the agency’s plans for the Central Valley segment. The move, led by Frazier and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, was cosponsored by 63 of 80 members. The resolution demanded the High Speed Rail Authority not award contracts to build the Central Valley track and electrical grid until the Legislature signs off on funding. 

But the authority plans to push ahead with awarding those contracts, including a 30-year maintenance deal, this fall. It will ask legislators to approve $4.2 billion in funding, the remainder of its voter-approved bonds, early next year.

[I've contacted the city's two representatives in the state Assembly---David Chiu and Phil Ting---to find out how they voted on the above resolution. If/when they respond, I'll let readers know]

The authority's arrogance won't go down well with the state legislature, which, along with the governor, appoints members of that board.

Chronicle editorial writers must also be disappointed that the end of the dumb project seems inevitable. The Chronicle has always supported the project editorially---as recently as this year---though its understanding of the project has always been sketchy.

Former Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders nailed the project way back in 2010 as the Democrats' way more costly version of the Bridge to Nowhere: The Train to Nowhere (see also this by Saunders).

Streetsblog has always supported the project, since they think trains, no matter how costly, are almost as good as bicycles in the anti-car campaign. Roger Rudick wouldn't have been hired by SF Streetsblog if he opposed high-speed rail.

The poorly-conceived and unfunded project has always been a Democratic Party project and a source of embarrassment to Democrats like me. 

Democrats like Scott Wiener seem determined to validate the Republican charge that it's a party of reckless big spenders.

Governor Newsom's proposed budget in January included $2 billion for the project.

The argument that the wasteful project creates jobs is the last, desperate attempt by supporters to save it:

Brian Annis, the authority’s chief financial officer, said the agency looks “forward to a discussion next year” with state lawmakers about its bond funding. He said legislators would be remiss to pause construction, given the train will create jobs amid a recession. “The case gets stronger for high-speed rail for many reasons,” Annis said. “We are supporting thousands of jobs in many areas around the state.”

Not surprising from the project's CFO, though he doesn't cite any other of the supposedly "many reasons." The jobs claim is essentially a political argument, since unions are an important part of the Democratic Party's base:

Labor unions have been among the project’s most vocal backers, saying it would provide trade jobs and help a region left behind by the Los Angeles and Bay Area economies. “We should not forget that this type of project is exactly what workers in the construction industry need from their government in times of recession, like times we find ourselves in now,” said Jeremy Smith of the State Building and Construction Trades Council.

Which is nothing but a craven appeal to self-interest, a hogs-at-the-public-trough argument.

Even worse, supporters hope that a Biden administration will bail out the project:

Dan Richard...said legislators must focus on the project’s long-term potential to re-imagine transportation and connect the state. He suggested that with a presidential election on the horizon, high-speed rail’s financial woes could be temporary. “Joe Biden is a train guy,” Richard said. “If these guys can hold on until the cavalry comes over the hill, that would be good.”

Yes, Biden has said some dumb things about high-speed rail, but the country's recession will still be hobbling the economy during a Biden administration and, like California, even a Democratic President, Senate and House seem unlikely to continue throwing money at the project.

See also $6 billion SF tunnel to get the $100 billion train to the $2 billion bus station, and If you build it, they will not come.