The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, has issued a stern warning to California, giving the state a 30-day ultimatum to justify why federal funding for its high-speed rail project should not be terminated.
This announcement comes after years of unfulfilled promises and billions of dollars spent with no tangible results.
According to RedState, Duffy stated, "After 16 years and roughly $15 billion spent, not one high-speed track has been laid by the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA). The $135 billion projected total cost of the project could buy every San Francisco and LA resident nearly 200 roundtrip flights between the cities." This statement underscores the magnitude of the financial drain the project has been on the federal budget, with no return on investment.
President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, expressed his relief at the decision, stating, "I am thrilled to announce that I have officially freed you from funding Californias disastrously overpriced, 'HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE.' This boondoggle, led by the incompetent Governor of California, Gavin Newscum, has cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we have received NOTHING in return except Cost Overruns." The President's statement reflects the frustration of many taxpayers who have seen their hard-earned money wasted on a project that has yet to deliver on its promises.
The high-speed rail project, which was officially launched in 2008, was initially planned to span 776 miles and be completed by 2020. However, not a single mile of the proposed rail network is operational to date. This is in stark contrast to the Transcontinental Railroad, which spans 1,911 miles and was completed in just 2,314 days, despite significant challenges.
However, California's Governor's office has defended the project. CHSRA CEO Ian Choudri, who was appointed in August and has promised to tackle delays and budget issues, said, "These are legally binding agreements. This is no time for Washington to walk away on Americas transportation future."
The final decision on the fate of the project is likely to end up before the Supreme Court, given the contentious nature of the issue. The project has been widely criticized as a boondoggle, with critics arguing that the proposed three-hour trip from LA to San Francisco is unrealistic and that the rail line would require large-scale government subsidies due to insufficient daily passenger demand.
The high-speed rail project has been seen as a symbol of government waste and inefficiency, with billions of dollars spent and little to show for it. The decision by Secretary Duffy to potentially terminate federal funding for the project is a victory for taxpayers who have long called for an end to this wasteful spending.
It is a clear message that the government should not be in the business of funding projects that do not deliver on their promises and do not provide value for money.
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