Diane Harkey’s Anti-HSR Bill Killed by Assembly
This news should come as no surprise – a bill by Assemblymember Diane Harkey to defund the high speed rail project died in the Assembly this week:
The California Assembly Transportation Committee has rejected a proposal by an Orange County Republican that would have blocked much of the planned state debt financing for the high-speed rail project.
The action clears the tracks for the California High-Speed Rail Authority to go to the bond market looking for the money to build the first 120 miles of track. That segment would be in the Central Valley, stretching from southern Madera County to northern Kern County.
Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal led the charge against Harkey’s bill:
Long Beach Democrat Bonnie Lowenthal, who chairs the transportation committee, told Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, who sponsored the bill, that she would vote against the bill.
“I think you and I are going to disagree about the merits of high speed rail because I believe there is a possible success story out there,” Lowenthal said. “So for that reason I am going to oppose your bill.”
Harkey, who made headlines last week for her ridiculous and offensive claim that HSR was “cultural genocide”, went on to make some more bizarre comments:
“What are the risks of the project? We don’t even know,” Harkey said. “It could be 66- to- 100-billion dollars and that’s without the train sets and without the operating expenses.”
Harkey is simply making up numbers here, and deliberately ignoring the fact that HSR systems around the world and in the US normally run operating surpluses. But she is running for the Board of Equalization in 2014, so presumably she is trying to curry favor with the oil companies and Koch Brothers who control the fates of most Republican elected officials these days. So we can expect to see more anti-HSR nonsense from her – it keeps the campaign contributions flowing.
Harley n. an unknown unknown”
…there are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know.
But there are also Harley’s – the ones we don’t know we don’t know. ”
—Former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
joe Reply:
April 13th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Ack! Phht!!
Harkley, not Harley.
Jim Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Harkley? Are you sure?
She just wants to stick it to her SOB ex-husband.
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 7:27 am
Maybe, Hard to tell, It depends on what their divorce was like really.
This game of making up numbers is fun.
This thing will cost 50 billion!
It will cost 66 billion!
It will cost 100 billion!
$5 we get to 150 billion by June.
Spokker Reply:
April 13th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
The $63 billion is an inference made by CARRD. You may not agree with it, and it may be flawed, but it is not made up.
joe Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:28 am
It’s a fallacy.
The CARRD estimate that apparently does not factor into it the empirical finding that Highway projects in the Bay Area are costing 30% less the projected/planned due to the deep, long lasting recession.
jim Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 7:26 am
CARRD is extrapolating from the difference between the numbers in the last business plan and the numbers in the applications for Federal funds. It may well be that such an extrapolation is unreasonable because the estimates in the applications are deliberately pessimistic and the number sin the business plan are optimistic, but to the extent the difference is due to scope creep since the last business plan, CARRD’s numbers should be taken seriously.
The estimates are for year of expenditure. Low construction bids this year due to the current recession can’t be counted on to be available in later years. CHSRA can’t take advantage of the current recession to get low bids, anyway, since they can’t begin construction until they’ve completed CEQA for at least the two Valley segments. It may be, of course, that the recession will still be going on for the entire time they’re doing construction, but I think we all hope not.
thatbruce Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:53 am
I take the fact of an increase seriously, but I don’t take CARRD’s numbers as being the definitive ones.
joe Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:51 am
I agree there is an increase in functionality/requirements between ARRA and HSR’s plan.
JIM: “CARRD is extrapolating from the difference between the numbers in the last business plan and the numbers in the applications for Federal funds”
I disagree that the extrapolation the old estimate is the right way to make a new estimate – the fact construction costs for the ARRA work would fall under the Great Recession economic slump and obviously be subject to new pricing – pricing that has cut actual bids by 30% for bay area projects.
Spokker Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Right, it’s an extrapolation. It’s not just a made up number based on the idea that all public works projects go over budget, so high speed rail will go over budget.
adirondacker12800 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Even at 65 billion dollars it costs less than providing similar capacity with more highways and airports.
spokker Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
I said this too.
But I don’t think it matters to the opposition. Rail projects are held to a higher standard. It’s unfair, but I think this project could reach those standards.
YESonHSR Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
And will be here probally in operation 120 years from now…all the detractors of this project never mention that as if this thing is only going to have a service life of 20 or 30 years
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:21 am
Business Travelers, Commuters, Tourists(Both Domestic and International), Excursion trains, Curiosity Seekers, etc will ride on HSR, They all bring money, Oh and did I say Tourism? No? Ridership won’t be instantaneous, But will increase over time and be a profit making enterprise. Oh and as to private businesses building HSR, It hasn’t happened as, Private capital is dwarfed by Public Capital, Cause If America had no railroads, guess Who’d pay to build It? Government, How did the railroads get the land they run on? Land Grants provided to them by Government, Who built Hoover Dam? Government. Who owns the Alaska railroad, Government, Why? Cause the private interests that built & ran the Alaska RR went Bankrupt. Does the Alaska RR make a profit? Yes, Does the Alaska RR do more than just Freight? Yes they also offer Passenger Rail Service and there is a Clinton era study to create a rail link on land between Alaska and the lower 48 States via Canada, through Alaska, the Yukon and part of British Columbia. Currently all rail interchange to and from Alaska are by barges, Some barges are owned by the Alaska RR and some are owned by the Canadian National Ry.
joe Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:44 am
“The estimates are for year of expenditure. Low construction bids this year due to the current recession can’t be counted on to be available in later years.”
The actual data are showing low costs than estimated data – for a cost to build area with decent employment – the Bay Area. These are not limites to 2011 projects.
The “low” bids are are based on actual bids so they are low relative to planned, not a cut to a previous bid. They illustrate how an updated estimate could be lower. Right now 30% in the Bay Area.
HSR Opponents have no more clarity into future events than proponents but the project has a requirement to provide a correct, defensible estimates.
I’m very puzzled to see CARRD’s unaccountable estimate put on par with the project’s work.
Frankly the A in CARRD, IMHO is dishonest. They are not rail advocates.
The requirements creep make the past estimate outdated BUT a new estimate should factor in all new events.
As a Univ Professor my policy was to regrade a test – the entire test – not just the sections the student had an issue. I make mistakes and they can be un favor and against the student.
A new estimate for HSR should include the stuff CARRD listed and factor in the Great Recession which is currently undercutting complex construction estimates by 30%.
This is pretty amazing. I don’t know if this is directly related to him killing the Milwaukee – Madison rail line but, at the very least, Scott Walker is one corrupt politician.
Railroad CEO charged with campaign law violations
Donor accused of funneling illegal contributions to Scott Walker through employees
By Daniel Bice and Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel
4/11/2011
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/119595644.html
“A major donor to Gov. Scott Walker was charged Monday with funneling more than $60,000 in illegal campaign contributions through his railroad employees over five years.
William Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., has agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts – one for exceeding the campaign contribution limits and a second for giving company and personal funds to associates so they could make political donations, mainly to Walker but to others as well. Individuals can give no more than $10,000 to gubernatorial candidates.
As part of a separate settlement, the railroad paid a civil forfeiture of $166,900 – the largest ever imposed by state election officials. Seven employees will each pay $250 forfeitures as well.
Under Gardner’s criminal plea deal, prosecutors ask that Gardner be sentenced to two years’ probation…”
Peter Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Given that the Wisconsin & Southern owns the tracks the HSR train would have used between Madison and Watertown (the balance to Milwaukee is owned by Canadian Pacific), I would not be surprised if this played a part in Walker’s “decision.”
Donk Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:52 am
It is amazing that the article did not suggest that there was any connection between this and Walker’s cancelling of the HSR funds. I did a “ctrl-F” on the comments though, and there were 10 instances of the term “high speed rail”, so it appears that the WI public is drawing this conclusion.
joe Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:58 am
If the dude wold have used a 3rd party, the Chamber of Commerce, the donations would have been legal.
CNN supports HSR. Robert could do a much better job as one of their analysts though…
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/13/high.speed.rail.fact.check/?hpt=T2
McNerney calls for $450 Million for ACE rail improvements
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=18138
H.R. 1504, the legislation introduced by Mr. McNerney, authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide up to $450 million in grants over the next decade for preliminary engineering, final design and construction of the Altamont Corridor Rail Project, which would build an 85-mile rail system for the passenger trains connecting Stockton and other Central Valley cities to San Jose and other points in the South Bay.
O/T:
Earlier today, Deutsche Bahn finally inked the ~EUR 5 billion (~$7.5 billion) ICx mega-deal with Siemens. Between 2013 and 2020, this new family of high-speed rolling stock will gradually replace DB’s legacy IC, ICE-1 and ICE-2 rolling stock delivering regional and secondary HSR service at top speeds of 200-280km/h (125-175mph). The deal covers a total of 200 firm orders and options for 100 more. This includes some 130 unpowered bi-level cars, which will be among the first to enter service.
DB had already selected Siemens as the preferred contractor on the basis of total cost, yet the concluding negotiations were protracted. The operator had demanded higher quality interiors and above all, stronger warranties in the wake of a string of major problems related to underdimensioned axles and A/C breakdowns in certain models in its HSR fleet. Instead of forming a consortium, Siemens will prime on the ICx contract, with Berlin-based Bombardier Transportation acting as a major subcontractor.
Refs:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/siemens-preferred-for-icx-framework-deal.html
http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/bahn1112.html
http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/bahnsiemens100.html
—
Just goes to show once again that other OECD countries continue to invest in domestic civilian infrastructure in spite of high sovereign debt burdens. They do so because they understand that their economies cannot thrive in the 21st century unless private businesses can leverage modern public infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the US keeps overspending massively on weapons systems and futile land wars in Asia.
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Land war in Asia? What country is this in? Last I looked It’s pretty peaceful around there.
wu ming Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
we’ve got ongoing wars in afghanistan and pakistan, with one occupation winding up in iraq (2nd in the past 2 decades), and covert actions all over the middle east, major base networks in japan, south korea, afghanistan, diego garcia, bahrain, turkey and whatever central asian republics haven’t kicked us out yet. possible naval base in vietnam in the coming decade as well.
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
The price of freedom is usually not cheap, So covert ops are needed or would You rather pay in blood? As that’s usually the price to regain freedom once lost, As freedom is rarely given and covert ops is not wrong as It’s a part of defense of the country, It was used during WWII by the OSS which is the predecessor of the CIA. The opposite of freedom is slavery, In the US It’s the domain of the FBI to do investigations for the Justice Department, While the CIA is for external OPs. And defunding of agencies just cause one does not like what they do is a petty immature thing to do.
Possible naval base in Vietnam? I doubt It, China is our trading partner, Military action by China against the US would be as unwise as the US against China, Money & lives would be lost, The mainland government is not crazy, As they have a lot of money to lose, I think T-bonds do come with serial numbers, So the Government would have a record of who bought what. Oh and Diego Garcia is a British possession, a NATO ally and a most trusted friend. Keep Yer friends close and Yer enemies closer, Also covert ops is a way to know a potential enemy, Insert people, etc.
Alon Levy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Totally. Bay of Pigs? Smashing success. Predicting the failure of the Soviet Union ten years ahead of time? Right on the money. Assassinations of foreign labor leader? All secretly Soviet agents.
Repeat after me: war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.
Alan F Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan are all in Asia. Peaceful and stable are generally not words assoicated with them.
swing hanger Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Afghanistan is in Asia, and though a bit archaic in terms of usage, the Middle East in general is considered the beginning (nearest to Europe) of “the Orient”.
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Afghanistan, Pakistan, As is Iraq and Persia, All 4 are a part of the Greater Middle East as the wiki shows, So there not in Asia and so by extension there is no land war in Asia…
adirondacker12800 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
The Middle East isn’t in Europe and it’s not in Africa. ( Not in Antarctica, North or South America either ) It’s in Asia.
Ben Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
Actually, not correct. North Africa, from Morocco – Egypt is considered the Middle East. Bernard Lewis in one of his books described the geographic extent of the Middle East pretty well.
BruceMcF Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Surprisingly enough, the Wikipedia sums it up quite nicely, “The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and North Africa.”. Since the parts of the Middle East where we are engaged in land wars are not the North African parts (at least, not yet), then its got to be the Western Asian parts.
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Geeze & all this time I thought We were at war with a bunch of Terrorist Penguins from Antarctica. ;)
Ben Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Vbobier– Iraq and the Levant (Jordan, Syria, Israel, Lebanon) are all considered Southwest Asia, or as someone noted above, the Near East, a term more common in times past.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Asia
VBobier Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
The Wiki on the Near East says different, The wiki does not mention Southwest Asia at all, In fact I did a search on the wiki and on Google and found the Wikipedia has only a redirect to Western Asia.
Ben Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Here’s the CIA for you about southwest Asia.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/additional-publications/heroin-movement-worldwide/southwest-asia.html
BruceMcF Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Following your link, its not clear that you are reading the content you are linking to:
YesonHSR Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
Hi…welcome back!!
YesonHSR Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Rafael!!!
OT:
China is to slow down its HSR from the top speed of 350kph (217mph) to 300kph (186mph)…
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7351162.html
Is CAHSR too ambitious with a design speed of 220mph?