crmeatball,

You are correct that there are anti-rail/rail hating elements who have jumped on-board basing the runaway money train. The mismanagement and consultant slop trough that has been the CHSRA for the last 12 years has given these elements plenty of ammunition. But, legitimate pro high speed and intercity rail groups like TRAC and RailPAC have had the same concerns about bloated-gold plated designs with no apparent need or rationale.

Some from those same pro-rail groups with professional backgrounds have been asked to review the business plan and the "so-called" modeling results and found serious problems with the assumptions being used to design this project. Those organization and others have called for a review of the seemingly insane decisions being made by that incompetent management team.

That being said California deserves and can support a well integrated, properly designed, properly phased regional, intercity, and high speed rail passenger system for California.
Mehdi is now gone as the "Manager", and his benefactor Quentin was outvoted 6-1 on every critical issue at the last CHSRA Board Meeting, including a complete review of the bloated $10 billion STV design for LA-Anaheim.

There are elements still running amok at CHSRA, wasting taxpayer dollars, I saw that at the presentation at this weeks LOSSAN TAC, where one participant described it as being in la-la land. It is my understanding that TRAC and RailPAC support a top to bottom review of the project, and a comprehensive audit of the actions and expenditures of the contractors. It is also my understanding that Richard Katz and several other CHSRA Boardmembers who have spearheaded the recent actions to reform the agency may be inclined to support such a review and audit.

The Feds are also very concerned and are requiring us to update and integrate our incompatible and competing State Rail Plan and the CHSRA plan and funding is being requested to do that.

Don't fall for the ususal rail hating trolls on this one, but also demand taxpayer accountability and oversight, which has been so lacking at the CHSRA, until now.