Kern Co. supervisors vote against high-speed rail plans
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday afternoon to oppose the state's high-speed rail plans as currently constructed.
A steady stream of proponents and opponents voiced their opinions during the Board of Supervisors meeting, after which the supervisors themselves sounded off on the latest version of the high-speed rail plans.
Supervisors Mike Maggard, Jon McQuiston and Zack Scrivner voted to oppose the high-speed rail proposal, while Ray Watson and Karen Goh declined to support a resolution of opposition, based on the fluidity of the plans.
The rail plans have been years in the making, but its costs are ballooning and its critics are growing in numbers. Just last month, the state auditor said the $98 billion project relies on risky financial assumptions and has just a fraction of the money needed to pay for it.
Estimated costs have more than doubled since voters approved selling bonds for it in 2008. In addition, the statewide system is expected to be completed in 2033, 13 years later than originally estimated.
The latest plan from the California High-Speed Rail Authority identifies just $12.5 billion in promised funding. About $3.5 billion of that is from the federal stimulus program, and $9 billion is from voter-approved bonds.
Gov. Jerry Brown continues to support the project, which got a new chairman just days ago.
Bakersfield is at the heart of the high-speed rail plans. The latest version calls for the system to begin with 130 miles of track between Chowchilla and Bakersfield.
Eventually, the plan is to have trains traveling at up to 220 mph between Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
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Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
