Washington Examiner: Another $100 billion needed for California’s train to nowhere

Another $100 billion needed for California’s train to nowhere

Talk about an eternal cost overrun.  The Washington Examiner reports:

“When California voters were first sold on the vision for a high-speed train connecting San Francisco to Los Angelesback in 2008, they were told the 500-mile system would cost $33 billion and would be completed by 2020.

Los Angeles – Washington Examiner

Last week, the CEO of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority testified in Sacramento that a much smaller 170-mile track connecting Merced to Bakersfield would cost $35 billion and wouldn’t be completed till 2033.  

Oh, and they’ve already spent $12 billion without completing a single mile of track.

To fully fund the original San Francisco to Los Angeles route will now cost an estimated $135 billion. And don’t ask when the project will be completed because, wisely, the rail authority is no longer making such hopelessly optimistic predictions.

Where does the rail authority plan to get the extra $100 billion for its admittedly never-ending construction project? 

From you, the taxpayer, of course. The rail authority informed Sacramento that the only way the project will ever get completed is if it has a ‘strong, long-term federal partner.’

President Joe Biden has already pledged $6 billion, which will cover the Merced to Bakersfield route. The rail authority currently has $28 billion on hand and Biden’s additional $6 billion would put them over the $33 billion they think they need. 

But then what? Where does California plan on getting the next $100 billion to connect Merced to San Francisco and Bakersfield to Los Angeles? 

Until Democrats put this money pit out of its misery, expect every Democratic president from here to eternity to keep bailing California out.”

If California’s Governor Gavin Newsom ever does run for president. It’s a safe bet whomever is his opponent will not give him a pass on this.