LOS ANGELES — After California Gov. Jerry Brown affirmed his support for the state's $68 billion high-speed rail project, a California Assembly member introduced a ballot measure designed to stop the project in its tracks.
Assemblyman Jeff Gorell, R-Camarillo, filed paperwork Friday for a ballot measure that would gauge whether voters have changed their minds since 2008 when 52.7% voted in support of the sale of $9.95 billion in bonds to partially fund the project. The remainder of the estimated $68 billion cost for the 500-mile rail project would be paid for through federal funds and by private investors.
Gorell's initiative would prohibit the sale of bonds for the passenger rail project that would run from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Polls have been showing that the majority of Californians no longer support the project, said Doug Lorenz, a spokesman for Gorell.
"This is a project the Assemblyman has been working on for a while; after a number of people complained that high-speed rail was becoming a waste of tax dollars," Lorenz said.
Gorell would have to raise considerable money to gather the 504,760 signatures needed to qualify the measure for the ballot.
But an anti-train platform could provide him with publicity as he runs for Congress this year against freshman Rep. Julia Brownley, a Democrat, in the state's 26th Congressional District.
A poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California found in March 2013 that 54% of voters are now opposed to the project.
When asked if they would support the project if the cost were lowered, however, 54% said they would support it and 59% said they think high-speed rail is important to the state's quality of life and economic vitality.
Brown proposed in his budget released last Thursday that $250 million from the state's emissions trading or cap and trade program be used to fund high-speed rail. Cap and trade is a market-based approach to reducing pollution whereby a limit or cap is set on the amount of pollution that can be emitted from a plant. Firms that emit in excess of the permitted amount can buy carbon credits from firms who require less volume.
"The governor is absolutely committed to moving this project forward," according to H.D. Palmer, with the state's Department of Finance. "It is something that would reduce greenhouse gases and reduce traffic on the highway infrastructure."
The August and November cap and trade auctions generated $275 million for the state, Palmer said. Combined with what was generated in 2012-13, the total proceeds to date are $532 million since the program took effect a year ago, Palmer said.
Gorell is concerned the $250 million from cap and trade will just disappear into the black hole of a project that will never be completed, Lorenz said.
"He has always opposed the project, but as it has grown in size and expense, he has been encouraged to take a more proactive role in this effort," Lorenz said.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny blocked the sale of the bonds in a ruling on Nov. 25.
In his ruling, Kenny said the High Speed Rail Authority failed to adequately disclose what factors it considered when it authorized the bonds.
Palmer wouldn't comment on the likelihood of the state winning an appeal of the lawsuit.
"I will just say the governor is committed to moving forward on high speed rail," he said.
