Railroaded Into Debt
Posted on 22. Jul, 2012 by Theodore Roe in Analysis, Current Events
California is nearly 400 billion dollars in debt. The lukewarm sense of hope following the contentious fight to wrap up the yearly state budget is tempered by the knowledge that the agreement requires the public to ok a referendum temporarily raising taxes by 8 billion dollars. Social services, health programs, the education system, the court system, state parks and almost all public sector employees (aside from the legislators, of course) will feel the pinch, and the governor knows that still isn’t enough.
Even with all of the painful new cuts, California is still in deep, deep trouble. What else can they do to help save their drowning state?
Build high speed rail, of course!
Yes, you read that correctly, and no, I did not have a stroke. This is actually happening.
Weeks after Governor Jerry Brown ushered in a new era of Californian austerity he had the temerity to pick up his pen and sign a bill to begin a bullet train project that will carry people between San Francisco and San Diego at a slower speed than an airplane – and for a higher cost.
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Rick

