Excerpted from Taft Midway Driller
June 12, 2020
House Resolution 97 passed out of the State Assembly this week with unanimous bi-partisan support. HR 97 directs the High Speed Rail Authority to halt the signing of new maintenance and construction contracts until the legislature has the opportunity to consider alternatives for spending the remaining bond funds. Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Kern County), Vice Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, is a co-author of HR 97.
“We must not permit unelected bureaucrats to unilaterally lock us into paying for this train for the next three decades . It is our responsibility to be stewards of taxpayer dollars because it is not our money; it’s the money of hardworking Californians. That is something that we must always remind ourselves,” said Assemblyman Vince Fong.
“The worst thing we can do right now is lock ourselves into multiple 30-year contracts. This would be the height of irresponsibility for this institution. How can we prioritize this train over programs that support first responders, help teachers educate future generations, and provide doctors the equipment and funding to help save lives in our state? To me, that’s unthinkable,” said Assemblyman Fong.
HR 97 will move to the Senate for a vote in policy committee in the coming weeks.