California High-Speed Rail Proposal: Are you on-Board?

On November 4, 2008, the voters of California will decide on the “Safe, Reliable High Speed Passenger Train for the 21st Century Bond Act.” The act proposes that the state of California disburse $9.95 billion to the High-Speed Rail Authority for planning and construction of the initial segment of the rail system from Anaheim to San Francisco. For comparison, the High-Speed Rail Authority estimates the total cost of planning and construction of the complete 700 mile, 30 station system to be $33 billion. Under the referendum proposal, only planning and construction costs will be subsidized while operating and maintenance costs will be sustained from passenger fares. The act stipulates that the railway be in operation by 2020.