California officials knew all along bullet train wouldn’t attract investors

By Chris Reed
01/27/2020
After being discussed for decades, a privately funded 170-mile high-speed rail link through the desert between Las Vegas and Victorville — 90 miles east-northeast of Los Angeles — could get final approval in coming weeks from the Federal Railroad Administration. After that happens, the California and Nevada state governments are expected to give final approval...

TAGS: "bullet train", Arnold Schwarzenegger, California High-Speed Rail Authority, Chris Reed, Federal Railroad Administration, Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown

California High-Speed Rail Business Plan Misrepresents Project Labor Agreement

By Kevin Dayton
03/18/2014
Before submitting its business plan to the state legislature every two years, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is required to produce a draft and encourage public comments. Its new 2014 draft plan includes a deceptive paragraph touting the union Project Labor Agreement added to bid specifications without any public deliberation or vote. This deserves public...

TAGS: California high speed rail, California High-Speed Rail Authority, Community Benefits Agreements, Community Benefits Policy, Federal Railroad Administration

Unions Virtually Alone in Love with California High-Speed Rail

By Kevin Dayton
01/21/2014
Even close observers of the California High-Speed Rail Authority have struggled to track developments for the state’s planned bullet train. The debacle began in November 2008, when 52.7% of California voters approved Proposition 1A and triggered serious planning for what could be the most expensive construction project in human history. With that kind of money...

TAGS: AB 32, California bullet train, California Governor Jerry Brown, California high speed rail, California High-Speed Rail Authority, Community Benefits Agreements, Federal Railroad Administration, Fresno Bee, Governor Jerry Brown, Jerry Brown, Project Labor Agreements, Proposition 1A (November 2008), State Building and Construction Trades Council of California

Exposing the Plot Behind Project Labor Agreement for California Bullet Train

By Kevin Dayton
04/30/2013
Documents obtained on April 29, 2013 through a request under the authority of the California Public Records Act reveal behind-the-scenes maneuvering for a government mandate that construction companies sign a Project Labor Agreement with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California as a condition of building California’s High-Speed Rail. Getting these records was not a simple task....

TAGS: Bob Balgenorth, California high speed rail, California High-Speed Rail Authority, Federal Railroad Administration, Project Labor Agreements, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California