Anna Miller: ‘Clark County residents please don’t let the mayor of Vancouver; the Chair of the County Council and the C-TRAN Board bring their choo-choo into Vancouver’
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
It’s one of those moments where “boondoggle” doesn’t even feel strong enough.
The Trump administration officially revoked $4 billion in federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project citing years of delays, cost overruns, and unmet milestones. The original vision, an 800-mile system connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles and beyond, has been whittled down to a 171-mile stretch between Merced and Bakersfield, with zero miles of high-speed track laid after more than a decade. The only thing high-speed about this project is the speed at which California taxpayer’s money is being flushed.
The project’s estimated cost has ballooned from $33 billion to $128 billion, and the completion date has slipped to 2033 at the earliest. Trump called it the “high-speed train to nowhere.” California Governor Gavin Newsom is fired up that the money spigot for this pet project has been turned off. They did what they always do when they can’t keep bleeding the citizens dry, they file a lawsuit to get the money spigot turned back on.
Meanwhile, the state says it’s entering the track-laying phase and has created over 15,000 jobs so far. Wow, just wow.
Clark County residents please don’t let the mayor of Vancouver; the Chair of the County Council and the C-TRAN Board bring their choo-choo into Vancouver. Light rail is a debt bomb that just keeps going off!
Anna Miller
Camas
Also read:
- Opinion: The unpreferred and unaffordable Interstate Bridge replacement proposal
Rep. John Ley argues that the Interstate Bridge Replacement proposal is unpreferred, unaffordable, and failing to address congestion, cost transparency, and community concerns. - POLL: If project costs continue to rise, what should lawmakers do with the I-5 Bridge replacement plan?
This poll asks readers what lawmakers should do with the I-5 Bridge replacement plan as costs rise and key decisions remain unresolved. - Opinion: IBR still holding and lying about coming billions in cost overruns
Joe Cortright argues that Interstate Bridge Replacement officials are deliberately delaying the release of an updated cost estimate that he says could push the project toward $10 billion. - Opinion: Another problem with strike pay from the UI fund – Potential double-dipping, overpayments
Elizabeth New (Hovde) argues that Washington’s new strike pay law risks overpayments and double-dipping unless workers are clearly warned at the point of applying for unemployment benefits. - Letter: A call for competent Interstate Bridge project management
Rick Vermeers argues that unchecked scope, rising costs, and missed timelines threaten the survival of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project unless light rail is removed.
wpDiscuz
