Brown seeks to prop up doomed bullet train with AB 32 $
As warned in this spot, Gov. Jerry Brown is conflating two of the state’s worst programs:
“Brown plans to propose spending millions of dollars in fees paid by carbon producers to aid the state’s controversial high-speed rail project.
“The proposal – and the prospect of additional funding from the state’s cap-and-trade program in future years – could provide a significant lift to a $68 billion rail project beleaguered by uncertainty about long-term financing.
“Brown plans to propose allocating several hundred million dollars this year, sources told The Sacramento Bee. … Brown is expected to include the proposal in the annual budget plan he will release Friday. Brown has made high-speed rail a priority of his administration, and he suggested two years ago that cap-and-trade revenue, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, would be a future source of funding for the project.
“But the use of cap-and-trade money for high-speed rail could be problematic. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said in 2012 that while the rail project could eventually help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, benefits would not be seen until after 2020, the year by which California is seeking to meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
Will any responsible Democrats step up and say this is crazy, Jerry? We shall see.
But as I wrote last week, I don’t see how this saves the bullet train. Yes, if Brown gets his way, the rail authority could then go back to Judge Michael Kenny and say hey, now we have additional funding.
“But I don’t know how Kenny could see that as solving the $25 billion problem — the fact that the rail authority has $6 billion in hand and needs to have $31 billion in hand to meet the legal requirement that it have secured funds for the first 300-mile segment before proceeding with construction. The governor can hardly assert he has made a decision binding on future Legislatures to always provide additional annual funding to the project.”
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And what did I tell ya?
These spendaholics will stop at nothing to get what they want. When one door closes they’ll use their fascist powers to open another one up.
Will of the people be damned.
Consent of the governed? lol.
Keep voting.
Keep writing and emailing your state and federal representatives.
Keep submitting your citizen op-eds for the local newspaper.
Keep consenting by default.
Most importantly, keep paying your taxes! lol.
Your government works for you!!! lol.
I used to think that Jerry Brown, although a leftist and somewhat eccentric, at least was sensible. His ideas and statements made some sense even though I disagreed. But now with this high speed “fail” thing, he seems a fanatic. “Bullet” train no matter what. Maybe he just is a man of the last century, since that’s where the technology is from. Sigh.
Pretty soon NO ONE is going to like Clown, he is losing any good will he may have had with the public, it is going up in smoke with his crazy bullet train scam.
The train left the station and malcontents get to ride in the back of the baggage car with junkyard dogs with nasty plaque covered teeth!
We need to remember something. These puppet politicians made committments to their sugar daddies when the bullet train concept was first conceived as a money-making opportunity for the rich. The pols got paid in advance for their support and promotions. No way can they retreat at this point in time, even though they KNOW it would be the right thing to do. Word gets around and their sugar daddies would helt the money-flow. This has got nothing to do with getting you from Point A to Point B in a fast, efficient and cost-effective manner. It’s just another money grab.
A bullet train should have been built 50 years ago. It’s too late for that now. There’s no money for it. And it’s a losing proposition that won’t produce any revenue.
If you wanted to travel from LA to San Francisco and had a choice of spending $75 to fly there in an hour or spending $250 to take a 4 hour (or longer) train ride there – which would you choose?
The answer is so simple it’s stupid. lol.
This will put his panties in a bunch
Me
To Tim
Jan 5 at 10:47 AM
for your info
Case Number: 13CV01232
Case Title: ALLIANCE FOR CALIFORN VS CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMEN
Case Type: DECLARATORY RELIEF
Filing Date: 11/08/13
Disposition Date:
Parties Name Type Attorney
ALLIANCE FOR CALIFORNIA, BUSINESS PLAINTIFF CANNATA, CHING & O’TOOLE LLP
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEFENDANT
NICHOLS, MARY D DEFENDANT
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD DEFENDANT
COREY, RICHARD DEFENDANT
SPERLING, DANIEL DEFENDANT
SERNA, PHIL DEFENDANT
EISENHUT, JOHN DEFENDANT
RIORDAN, BARBARA DEFENDANT
BALMES, JOHN R, MD DEFENDANT
DE LA TORRE, HECTOR DEFENDANT
BERG, SANDRA DEFENDANT
ROBERTS, RON DEFENDANT
SHERRIFS, ALEXANDER, MD DEFENDANT
GIOIA, JOHN DEFENDANT
MITCHELL, JUDY DEFENDANT
Actions Date Action Description
11/08/13 CIVIL CASE COVER SHEET
11/08/13 COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY
CK D3233072
11/08/13 SUMMONS ISSUED
11/08/13 NOTICE OF CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
Oh, let us know the case # and where the case is pending! And when they are served!
BTW the case number looks to be wrong if you filed in 2014.