Gavin Newsom No Longer Supports High Speed Rail (Los Angeles, San Diego: 2014, taxes)

[humboldtrat]

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom would redirect high-speed rail funding - Capitol and California - The Sacramento Bee

Newsom thinks HSR is a boondoggle and the money should be redirected to other pressing needs.

[Erratikmind]

In short, I agree.

At the moment, I feel the monies would be better spent elsewhere.

[checkup]

I've agreed since the beginning

if they could actually find the $50 billion (over 20 years) to fund this thing, I could find much better uses for that money...including cutting taxes

but if the money must be spent, intra-city transit (in LA and SF Bay Area) and improving the state's water infrastructure would rank ahead of a train that still takes 3+ hours to go between SF and LA

[NorCal Dude]

Republicans were right about ti from day one. This is another MOONBEAM debacle.

[eureka1]

Two Predictions:1) HSR will come. 2) Gavin Loathesome will never be Governor.

[Ruth4Truth]

The current HSR plan should be redesigned so that it's not just a milk run in SoCal.

The problem with rail in the US is that it's competing agents the trifecta of the oil industry, the highway lobby, and the auto industry. Public transport hardly stood a chance after those 3 teamed up in the 50's.

[UB50]

We will eventually need HSR. I guess Newsome is going to have to work to get my vote.

[MichiVegas]

High speed rail is a boondoggle. $100 billion for service that won't be price-competitive with the airlines, in a state where 90% of households own cars, and the important cities are going to be served last, not first.

Unless we have $10/gallon gas like in Western Europe, you can forget about HSR working in the U.S., except maybe in the Northeast Corridor.

[Snort]

No one offered him a kickback?

[Howest2008]

They have to do HSR in segments starting with (A) Los Angeles to San Diego CA service (B) Los Angeles to Las Vegas(C) Sacramento/San Francisco/San Jose/Fresno/Bakersfield CA segment and do it over a 75 to 100 years time window.