There are some rumors that CA has been "front loading" potentially lapsing Federal stimulus funds, in order to use them up, before the September 30 lapse date, before they legally expire. One story is that they have been using the Federal funds, and matching them "on paper" to receive federal reimbursement, which would potentially be very problematic, should there be an audit of the project's finances by the FRA auditors or possibly the USDOT inspector generals office.

The project is and always has been a political/contractor slop trough of the first order. The proposed project meets none of California's real transportation needs, and now threatens hundreds of worthwhile projects by sucking up the public trust and the public dollars, that could have been spent on well planned and needed rail projects throughout the State. Now, the reality, of how much this is costing, and how wasteful and corrupt it is, is finally sinking in.

I have spoken to several members of the legislature, from both parties, and at least two local candidates, with a good chance of winning seats, about the need to reign in the CHSRA fiasco and restructure the rail funding programs, to make them at least follow the same "checks and balances" that are required for funding transit and highway projects. However, I expect nothing to happen anytime before November elections.

The contractor's favorite Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is running for the US Senate from CA, and since she's also known as PB's favorite Congresswoman, I'd expect her well known support to continue unabated for this "slop trough" fiasco. She looks like she will lose, and if so, much of the political support for this CHSRA fiasco will still come from Kopp's old pal Feinstein.... Maybe, she will do us all a favor and retire, too? We can all only hope......