I hadn't intended to bring you this article by Michael Barone because, frankly, it's not very good. He makes some serious errors such as claiming that "none of these high-speed rail projects is really high speed." Well, that's wrong about both Florida and California's intentions.
However,this article has now appeared in a number of news publications, including the Boston Herald. The bottom line of Barone's piece is that HSR is a good place for the Congress to do some cost cutting; what he calls "a no-brainer." And I certainly can't argue with that.
What we are seeing, especially since last November's election, are far more critical articles about high-speed rail. In particular spelling out what an economic disaster in the making this is. What's important to note is that there was a lot of support for HSR when it was a vision, a dream, a concept. But, what all grown-ups have to learn is that the Devil is in the details and in the realities of cost/benefit analysis.
Like on TV, slick videos are great for doing a sales job; the CHSRA was quite successful at that. But, the rail authority is worthless at delivering reality and we all should wise up and say NO. Stop this monstrosity!
What we are seeing, especially since last November's election, are far more critical articles about high-speed rail. In particular spelling out what an economic disaster in the making this is. What's important to note is that there was a lot of support for HSR when it was a vision, a dream, a concept. But, what all grown-ups have to learn is that the Devil is in the details and in the realities of cost/benefit analysis.
Like on TV, slick videos are great for doing a sales job; the CHSRA was quite successful at that. But, the rail authority is worthless at delivering reality and we all should wise up and say NO. Stop this monstrosity!
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This train bound for fiscal nowhere
By Michael Barone | Thursday, January 20, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Op-Ed
Where can the new Congress start cutting spending? Here’s one obvious answer: high-speed rail. The Obama administration is sending billions of stimulus dollars around the country for rail projects that make no sense.
When incoming Govs. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and John Kasich of Ohio cancelled high-speed rail projects, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood refused to let them spend the dollars on other forms of transportation and sent the funds instead to other states.
Walker argued that Wisconsin didn’t need $810 billion for a 78-mile line between Madison and Milwaukee because Interstate 94 already enables people to get from one city to the other in just over an hour.
Kasich’s rationale? “They tried to give us $400 million to build a high-speed train that goes 39 miles an hour.” High-speed rail may sound like a good idea. It works, and reportedly even makes a profit, in Japan and France. If they can do it, why can’t we?
A look at some proposed projects gives the answer. Take the $2.7 billion, 84-mile line connecting Orlando and Tampa that new Florida Gov. Rick Scott is mulling over.
It would connect two metro areas that are already connected by I-4. Wendell Cox, writing for the Reason Foundation, found that just about any door-to-door trip between the two metro areas would actually take longer by train than by auto — and would cost more.
Other projects seem just as iffy. California is spending $4.3 billion on a 65-mile stretch of track in the Central Valley.
Or consider the $1.1 billion improvements on the Chicago-St. Louis line. It would reduce travel time between the cities by 48 minutes, but the trip would still take over four and a half hours at an average speed of 62 mph.
None of these high-speed projects is really high-speed. Japan has bullet trains that average 171 mph, France’s TGV averages 149 mph. In contrast, Amtrak’s Acela from Baltimore to Washington averages 84 mph and the Orlando-Tampa train would average 101 mph. So we are spending billions on high-speed rail that isn’t really high speed, that will serve largely affluent business travelers and that will need taxpayer subsidies forever. This should be a no-brainer for Congress.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=1310736
© Copyright by the Boston Herald and Herald Media.
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And, here's another article, this one from the San Gabriel Valley, that also regards HSR as a reckless waste of public dollars, especially here and now. I like it that he uses my "Ferrari" analogy. We've been fired; our house is about to be foreclosed, but we are intent on getting a huge loan to buy a Ferrari. What's wrong with this picture? Oh, wait. And we're going to use the kids' college fund for the downpayment.
Curt Hagman: All aboard the crazy train
Posted: 01/19/2011 06:05:14 PM PST
In the midst of a huge budget deficit and economic downturn, spending wisely has never been more important. If your family has trouble paying the bills, chances are you wouldn't be splurging on a brand new Ferrari.
However such common sense doesn't seem to apply to state government, where bureaucrats spend our hard-earned tax dollars on dubious priorities.
Due to a voter-approved bond measure, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is tasked with building a high-speed rail from San Francisco to San Diego. They were recently criticized for deciding to spend more than $4 billion to build the first stage of high speed rail between Borden, a gold rush ghost town in California's Central Valley, and the small city of Corcoran which is home to one of California's largest prisons.
I have nothing against these two communities, but deciding to spend billions of limited tax dollars to connect them would not be my top priority.
Furthermore, the same board recently voted unanimously to spend another $1.2 billion to extend the first leg of high-speed rail closer to Bakersfield, but not in the city itself. So who will ride the train at this location?
In my opinion constructing a "train to nowhere" at a time when our state faces severe budget problems is downright irresponsible.
I believe private money should be used to fund this rail project instead of public money. If the state sold all of the $9.95 billion in high-speed rail bonds that have been authorized, it would consume $676 million per year for 30 years, all paid from the state's General Fund. This is the same fund that supports education, public safety, prisons and other services. It's a mistake to take money away from other priorities to build a high-speed rail system.
How can bureaucrats look taxpayers in the eye and say "we need more revenues" (code for higher taxes) when it engages in a questionable spending choice such as this?
With California facing a $6.1 billion immediate shortfall and a $25.4 billion deficit over 18 months, lawmakers must act quickly. The sooner lawmakers come together and reach an agreement on responsible and realistic budget solutions, the better it will be for all Californians.
With Gov. Jerry Brown forced to make tough budget choices, the state must rethink its approach on how it spends our resources. Rather than moving forward with a high-speed rail project that many Californians will never use in their lifetimes, let's put our money to good use.
If the state is ever going to restore the people's faith in government, then it must demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
I remain committed to reining in government growth and reevaluating state programs. It's time to hold bureaucrats accountable for their decisions and put the brakes on wasteful spending we can't afford.
Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, is the Assistant Republican Leader and represents the 60th Assembly District which includes parts of Anaheim, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Industry, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, Walnut, Whittier and Yorba Linda.
