By Steven T. Jones
California’s proposed high-speed rail project is finally getting some much needed attention, which is the only thing that will overcome Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s dishonest and secretive campaign to kill it.
The Democratic Party has made the project a top legislative priority (see my story on that in tomorrow’s paper), the LA Times is publicizing it, and the Fog City Journal got this quote on the subject from Mayor Gavin Newsom: “A bond has been delayed for too many years. It’s time to look forward to high-speed rail. In fact I’ll be doing a press conference with Senator Kopp on it very shortly. We’re blessed to have Senator Kopp to head this authority to really step it up because, definitely, it’s absolutely essential. You watch the rest of the world, they’ve been doing that kind of system for decades and here we are still flying on Southwest, Jet Blue and United. It makes no sense between northern and southern California and it’ll be a big part of solving a lot of the infrastructure and transportation challenges.”
He’s absolutely right. And now is the time to make sure Arnold and the more cowardly members of the Legislature don’t kill this important project.