SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California state legislator has introduced a bill seeking to halt funding for California’s high speed rail project from the state’s greenhouse gas program and direct $1 billion annually to wildfire prevention and water projects.
Assembly Bill 267 was introduced by Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare, Calif.) on Jan. 17. It calls for the legislature to suspend appropriations from the California Air Resources Board for high speed rail in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 fiscal years. The money would be redirected to the state’s General Fund. From there, it would be available for the wildfire and infrastructure projects, if so appropriated.
Current law requires 25% of the money CARB generates for its Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund through cap-and-trade programs goes to the high-speed program.
Macedo told KMPH-TV, “This bill is doing something that I think the Central Valley’s been asking for a really long time, which is to abandon the high-speed rail project or at least the funding going towards it.”
Another California legislator, U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Roseville), has previously introduced a bill in Congress that seeks to prevent further federal funding for the California project [see “Legislator seeks to block federal funding …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 11, 2024].
Penelope, I totally agree the air traffic system and any new tech should be privatized & all costs paid by the users. In addition the cost of the TSA should be totally cover by taxes & fees on all tickets to cover all the losses from small airports with limited service make it a self sufficient agency responsible for employees wages, health care & retirement like the Post Office. I’m tired of my tax $$ subsidizing air passengers welfare.
Charles just take 20 – 30 Billion a year as part of the surplus money going to the Federal government from CA that CA does not get back. Then use that money to finish CA HSR.
That bill will go nowhere. it’s from a Republican…I think State Democrats should put a bill up changing the amount of CARB money going to CAHSR from 25% to 50%.
It is amazing how many people are all for cutting funding for various Federal and State transportation projects but are first in line for projects in their areas and how those projects they want are vital for the national and state economies.
TROY — In your first sentence, delete the term ” ….. how many people ….” and substitute these words: “…. almost all members of Congress of both parties ….”
Pulling the funding should have had happened years ago. If they stopped now, there would be unfinished monuments to stupidity and waste lining the Central Valley. So, this bill is political grandstanding.
At this point the only way to ever have a possibility of recovering a return on this investment is to let them build up to and including laying rail and connecting it up to the rail network so that the Amtrak San Joaquins could use it.
For a level playing field, airlines can pay for their own infrastructure and support personnel (ie: traffic controllers)!
I’m opposed to my tax $$ going to Brightline!
Me too. It’s a tax-subsidized recipient of corporate welfare.
@Charles Landey:
Then I supposed you are equally as opposed to subsidies for Elon Musk’s Tesla, SpaceX and AI businesses as well, for the very same reason.
JAY BURNS — As a rule I’m opposed to corporate welfare.
Part of the reason Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin was voted out of office was his scheme for corporate welfare for Foxconn. Of course the Democrat who defeated Walker for reelection repackaged the grants and called them something different. The game goes on, Dem or Republican, take your pick.
The federal government needs to recoup every penny of federal tax money poured into this scandal.