California Democratic Attorney General, Rob Bonta, withdrew the state’s lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s effort to cut billions of dollars of grants to the state’s high-speed rail project — a move that is welcome news for taxpayers, Rep. Vince Fong (R., Calif.), a Californian who serves on the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told the Washington Reporter.
“California’s decision to withdraw its lawsuit over its high-speed rail failure confirms what taxpayers have known for years: the project’s mismanagement is indefensible,” Fong said. “What voters approved in 2008 bears no resemblance to the original vision — a $33 billion rail system completed by 2020 has ballooned to more than $128 billion, with no viable funding plan, no realistic completion date, and no accountability.”
Republicans have for years argued that the rail proposal, promoted by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D., Calif.), is an example of administrative failure. “After billions wasted, repeated delays, and wildly unrealistic ridership projections, the California High-Speed Rail Authority and Governor Newsom could not defend their failures,” Fong said. “It’s time to shut down this boondoggle and reinvest in real infrastructure and critical priorities that actually deliver for Californians.”
With leadership in Washington, D.C., including the Trump administration’s Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy who has been a longtime opponent of the high-speed rail, Fong is excited to see “fiscal responsibility” prioritized.
“I thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for stepping in to protect taxpayers and restore fiscal responsibility,” he said.