Kopp Has More to Say

On December 14^th, the revised Business Plan for the California High Speed Rail project was released and was met with less than open-arms by many.  From San Diego to Oakland, a flurry of opinions appeared in the press decrying the document as no more substantial than the original PR presentation delivered in 2008.

 

Quentin Kopp of the California High Speed Rail Authority had this to say, in an Opinion piece printed in the December 22^nd issue of the San Mateo County Times:

“Whether it’s fear mongering about risking federal dollars by examining legitimate alternatives for the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco or clamoring on the Peninsula about a so-called “no build” option north of San Jose’s intermodal station, it’s a venerable heyday for naysayers and a minority of high-speed rail opponents.”

 

I have noticed that the “fear-mongering” and “naysaying,” is spreading.  Now, citizens from around the state including the Central Valley, Gilroy, San Diego and the East Bay have awaken to the disaster we may be facing if this project gets off the ground.  This is not a Peninsula issue but rather a massive fiscal disaster for the State of California.  With the lowest bond rating in the nation we pay higher interest rates on bonds.  This has increased the cost of servicing our State’s debt by 143% in the last decade.  Has anyone noticed that we are broke yet we are talking about spending $43Billion, like its chump-change?

 

Kopp goes on to say:

“Now, as the alternatives identified for inclusion in the EIR/EIS appear closer to a final format, people have begun to participate fully in the decision-making process and embrace the issues and opportunities that high-speed rail brings to the Bay Area and the state of California.”

 

There are many who feel the decisions have long been made, starting with the choice of the Pacheco Pass rather than the Altamont Pass, a route that many believe makes the most environmental and transportation sense.  Due to the underfunding of this project, we expect that the plan for the Peninsula is the cheapest and fastest alternative – an Ariel structure or retained fill wall.  Engagement at this point is far too late in the process.  Without a CHSRA member from the Peninsula and the outreach that was supposed to happen in advance of the ballot measure in November 2008, we on the Peninsula are still woefully in the dark.

 

From here Kopp embarks on a diatribe in which even the most avid HSR buff would get lost and concludes by stating:

“Broad support doesn’t mean unanimity and those trying to derail the project will seek to convince the media and public otherwise. I’m reminded of Jawaharlal Nehru, the longest-serving prime minister of India, who once observed: “The only alternative to coexistence is co-destruction.”  

 

Since Nehru was referring to the threat of nuclear war, I am compelled to question Kopp’s comparison.  I contend that this project will, in fact, lead to our co-destruction – the destruction of the fiscal viability of California and the destruction of everything that makes our state and communities a draw to visitors from around the world.  I would love to see High Speed Rail come our way.  If I could honestly believe that HSR as planned, will live up to the magical thinking of the new business plan and obtain adequate funding to construct in a way that does not devastate our neighborhoods, while not bankrupting our state, I would be the first one on board.

 

 

Read it all, at:

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=opinions&id=121538

Comments

[John McNary]

And you would say the same thing about the interstate highway system in 1956.

Yes, there are pockets of selfish NIMBYs in California who don't want to acknowledge that times are changing, and once again, the common good may not be to their liking.

[Russ]

John, How is it that destroying an entire town's economy is "for the common good?" How is it that spending 64 billion dollars on brand new infrastructure when our crumbling infrastructure can not be repaired due to our state being close to bankruptcy is "for the common good?" How is it creating a physical divide for an entire region is "for the common good?" How is it that the High Speed Rail Authority can not sufficiently show how this system will be paid for is "for the common good?"

Lastly, the highway system was in full swing in 1956 in New York City and entire neighborhoods were on the brink of destruction until one woman, Jane Jacobs, stood up to those of authority and proved how wrong they were. She saved property, she saved economies, she saved an entire region and made the entire country think twice about how infrastructure is built in this country.

I suggest you read one of her books. I suggest we all become inspired by what she did and continue to gather together to speak up despite being called NYMBY's and other names. This project is flawed at every turn.

This project in a lion. We NYMBY's are spiders. Many spiders can tie up a lion. Let's do it.

[bjm]

Well, John, I guess when you live in Malibu you don't need to worry about Highways or High Speed Trains destroying your community. Makes it very easy to call others NIMBYs, doesn't it?

[Luke]

HSR rail is a greenwashed concept and induces sprawl.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/what-would-high-speed-rail-do-to-suburban-sprawl/

Who supports it? Crony contractors and central valley land speculators who plan on building more sprawl for 10s of miles around each HSR station.

http://www.hjta.org/california-commentary/wheels-coming-high-speed-rail

[Ron Fulderon]

We are up against a really backward thinking crowd of Global Debt deniers. They will use every trick in the book to deny that we have been spewing debt into the world economy at an ever increasing rate. The US national debt is now increasing at a rate of four billion dollars A DAY. California is running a $20B debt this year and has the lowest bond rating of all 50 US states. Most economists that aren't bought and paid for by special interests agree that we are heading for a economic melt down of unprecedented dimensions.

These greedy big government tricksters like Quentin Kopp want to add more and more debt to California and our country and then stick it to future generations. They figure "what do I care - I'll be dead and won't have to pay back these bonds."

It's going to take years to fix this problem and we have to start now by stopping this financial black hole before it gains critical mass. People like Quentin Kopp who don't give a damn about the debt shouldn't be treated seriously (nor with any respect) as they are in total denial of basic economics.