A new poll finds that, if high-speed rail were on the ballot today, 62 percent of California voters would vote against it. The complete poll report also indicates that 63 percent of Californians say they would never ride it if it were built.
The poll asked people about their state funding priorities. The top priorities were education (76 percent), public safety (69 percent), and social services (65 percent). Water and irrigation (29 percent) and clean energy (18 percent) scored much lower. At 11 percent, high-speed rail was last.
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Partly based on this poll, transportation expert Ken Orski argues that “it looks like the end of the line for high-speed rail.” However, the California High-Speed Rail Authority still has several billion dollars of spending authority and the mandate to begin construction in the Central Valley by September 30, 2012 (or it will lose federal dollars). Unless the state legislature stops them, I would be more surprised if they voluntarily stopped than if they began building a train to nowhere.
So why did people vote for it in 2008?
Yet another data point for re-looking at the way the initiative process is run.
DS
A huge problem with these votes is that most people look at how the federal government will pay for 80% or so of the cost, so it seems like it will bring mostly free jobs and infrastructure to the region. Ideally you would want the voters to weigh whether it is worth the whole cost of the project, but I am not sure how to do that.
A second best solution would be say that a State will be getting X amount of federal funds and let the voters choose among various options for using the funds.
Then Why Did They Vote for It in the First Place?
It sounded like a “nice” thing to have and they imagined it would be built quietly, efficiently and for some semblance of its estimated cost (“and those are good-paying construction jobs, too, Mabel”).
After a few years, it would just be there like the freeways and maybe we could take it up to San Fran for a weekend.
I don’t think I’m overly cynical in my estimation of how much thought an average citizen puts into his analysis of a government proposal.
Craigh wrote:
It sounded like a “nice†thing to have and they imagined it would be built quietly, efficiently and for some semblance of its estimated cost (“and those are good-paying construction jobs, too, Mabelâ€).
And as is often the case with passenger rail projects, many of the people who voted for it almost certainly assumed (incorrectly) that this system would free up freeway capacity for them and would be convenient for someone else to use – or that someone else would be forced to use it through some government mandate.
After a few years, it would just be there like the freeways and maybe we could take it up to San Fran for a weekend.
What’s the matter, the airlines are not flying? And the buses are not running?
I don’t think I’m overly cynical in my estimation of how much thought an average citizen puts into his analysis of a government proposal.
Unfortunately, I think you are correct.
Recall some years ago (2000) when railfans in Florida managed to amend that state’s constitution through referendum to mandate that the state build an extensive (and expensive) passenger rail system? It took another amendment process in 2004 (including referendum) to remove the choo-choo train mandate from the Sunshine State’s constitution. As a Democrat, I am not a fan of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (Republic Party), but Bush did the right thing in leading the effort to have this boondoggle repealed.
Cox sabotaged HSR in Florida, Virgin was interested in being the operator.
Then you guys say you want more private sector involvement.
Though you damn teabaggers won’t even come clean about the big government socialism in front of your homes called a road!