Chapman University’s School of Law hosted a Southern California Transit Forum today that drew a crowd of 350 attendees representing labor, management, the business community and concerned residents. After sitting through several individual and panel discussions the “take away” could be summed up by some of the earlier speaker comments. Our state legislature has walked away from funding our public transit. “Houston, we have a problem.”
Prior to his opening remarks we watched video clips including one with Timothy A. Canova, Associate Dean and Professor of Law, Chapman University who states our having a “real challenge on how we are going to fund mass transit.” This is where I must have taken my eyes off the rails and missed an exit. I thought the major focus for today would be devoted to the CHSRA bullet train, especially as Mayor Pringle, Chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority, was a featured speaker.
My reason for attending this Forum was to lobby my opposition to future, not current challenges on one public transportation project, its expenditures and funding sources, namely CHSRA. Accept for a few speakers mentioning our receipt of $2.25 billion in Stimulus funds for the CA high speed rail, we never addressed the project details.
Dr. Jim Doti, president Chapman University, stated our “taking transportation for granted–it’s not a given.”
Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche said that “we are all here as our transit system is in critical condition.”
Immediately following mayor Cavecche was Patrick D. Kelly, Secretary–Treasurer and Principle Officer, Teamsters Local 952. Mr Kelly didn’t pull any punches in his remarks where he opened saying “there is a transit funding crisis” He goes on to say “with all due respect, president Obama missed the boat on transit.”
Here we go again. Another petition. This time ONE MILLION CA voters will be asked to sign a new Initiative Petition which “PROHIBITS THE STATE FROM TAKING FUNDS USED FOR TRANSPORTATION OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS AND SERVICES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.”
Mr Kelly closes by sharing his somber opinion saying “I don’t think we’re going to get out of this crisis anytime soon.”
Lobbyist Josh Shaw, Executive Director, CA Transit Association, gave us a peek into the latest maneuvers by our state legislature where the governor is proposing the elimination of public transit funding. Josh told us that Sacramento is heading in the opposite direction supporting public transits by diverting $3.5 billion as we rob Peter to pay Paul including $one billion from transit adding that “there is no state support for public funding today.” He is proposing a Constitutional Amendment to safeguard against transfer of money. Note: See above title.
In his remarks morning panel member Assemblyman Jose Solorio told us to expect $20 billion deficits for each of the next three years.
Gilbert comment. Forget about high speed trains for tomorrow. The projected annual Bond Debt service for the CHSRA is somewhere between $500 million and one billion dollars that take priority while we can’t even pay our bills.
State Senator Lowenthal quotes our governor to say “its not the responsibility of the state to fund transit.”
Gilbert comment. This transit system is used by our lower income blue collar workers, students, seniors, those with special needs, hospital workers and teachers most of whom do not own vehicles, yet our governor is ready to throw billions of dollars that are being taken away from other citizen needs for a feel good rail system whose ridership numbers, cost and subsidy is purely speculative.
Will Kempton, CEO OCTA, tells us that we transported 57 million passengers on OC busses last year.
Gilbert note. If the governor wants to meet our transportation needs perhaps he should take responsibility for OCTA’s 20 percent cut of its local bus service with an additional 10 percent to follow later this year if operating funds do not materialize. If the financial shortfall is not corrected OCTA plans to cut 150,000 hours of service by this fall.
Priorities. Instead of funding local transit or our decaying highway transportation and bridge infrastructure, our governor needs to get his priorities straight. While we wait 10 to 30 years for a questionable transportation project, and governor Schwarzenegger is termed out of office, we have serious needs today that are being neglected.
Luncheon speaker James Earp, Executive Director California Alliance for Jobs, gave us a major nugget when he stated that we might be seeing the last breath of Prop 42 which generates $1.5 billion per year. There is a current discussion in Sacramento of swapping sales tax for excise tax. By shifting these buckets (with $700 to $800 million dollars per year) the state will not have to show (this revenue) for (Prop 98) education mandated revenues.
Rather than providing a lengthy recap of speaker comments let me close with a transit solution suggestion from Richard Katz, Board Member, LA County MTA.
“Republicans have to stop protecting Prop 13″
” Democrats have to stop protecting Prop 98″
“The governor’s proposal (swapping sales tax on gas for excise tax) should be defeated.”
One Panel Facilitator, Lucy Dunn, CEO OC Business Council, announced that “we have the worst infrastructure” in America. Yet as she suggested suspending AB32 and SB 375, the directive to get us out of our cars, you cut off public transit funding. Sen. Lowenthal would not yield on her suggestion. Afternoon panelist Barry Broad, Director of CA Teamsters Public Affairs Council, calls us the party of NO yet has no comment when Democrat Lowenthal refuses to push back on SB 375. OCTA CEO Kempton told us that “we will not meet SB 375 without a transit element.”
No wonder voters are fed up with our elected officials and resort to taking action via the Initiative process. With elected officials digging in their heals gridlock will be more than just in the state house in Sacramento.
Final comments. In speaking to other attendees before departing consensus was that while we heard many speakers identify the transit problems, none of them provided a take away solution to the current transit dilemma.
Larry,
Was there any discussion of the effect of this on OCTA’s Measure M2 funded “Go Local” program?
No.
What I overlooked in the post is to mention that during this live feed event, in addition to questions from the audience, some of the speakers were asked transit related questions via You Tube and Twitter.
Larry Partner, on this issue we beg to differ. “When” “if ever” will be a good time to create High Speed Rail in the Golden State? Maybe 2080?
NO, Obama is willing to bring some cash to the program and you failed to mention that Curt Pringle believes greatly in High Speed Rail.
His interview last Sunday on News Conference Channel 4…..is dedicated.
The opponents of High Speed Rail…. are the same guys that were against it in Europe before their rail system became the “Poster Boy” for mass transit. Japan and soon China are very much aiming at moving more than “Blue Collar” maids and dog walkers by High Speed Rail. In any event—-this issue is NO “New Constitutional Convention for California Movement”.
Just the line from Anaheim to Vegas will reduce pollution, put our local Indian Gaming people out of work and save lots of needless air traffic out of LAX and Orange County Airports.
Classic example of a bunch of people saying “aint’ it awful”, “the sky is falling”, with no solution in sight. The same type of forum with the same kind of outcome can be held on education, housing, prison overcrowding, jobs, water, energy, you name it. Folks, the good days are behind us and we are looking squarely at a reality of reduced resources and expectations for the foreseeable future. This is an era that is proving government can’t do it all. Get used to it.
The Winships need an education, or treatment for cranial rectal inversion. HSR is a classic boondoggle. It will cost far more than is estimated, and carry far less than has been claimed. They need do some research at http://reason.org/news/show/1003044.html before hitting the keyboard.
My reason for attending this Forum was to lobby my opposition to future, not current challenges on one public transportation project, its expenditures and funding sources, namely CHSRA.
Brother Larry, what do you mean by that? You are through opposing high-speed rail?
Dr. Golightly;
Government Waste?
Nah…that never happens. Our only question is: Did you oppose the building of the Golden Gate Bridge too? Probably thought 60 years was too much to pay tolls. Yes, the future just arrives….who needs planning or actually doing anything? Especially when $5 Billion Dollars is allocated already!
Dr. G, can you in fact mention one government program that isn’t filled with backroom deals, waste, corruption and political intrigue?
R & A, Holly Golightly won’t be back, (s)he’s a hit-n-run commenter last seen trashing Joe Shaw, rewriting the history of the 2006 election, and calling all HB Mayors corrupt (only two of them were.)
I’m in the middle of researching the high-speed rail question and I tend to agree with you guys, but I want to read all the opposition too. Including the link Ms. Golightly dumped here while insulting you before running off.
*Professor Vern,
“Spinsults!” are a natural progression in the art of blogging. Finding the truth between all the typical personal attack dog nonsense is the big challenge. But then, so it is with life. Glad to see you are looking without prejudice at the High Speed Rail Issue! More should be doing that as well. The question is of course; “Are there going to be benefits to the society in the long run?”
Part of a response from antoher MV attendee who I drove home from the event:
” Well Put!
As I thought about this after we parted, It came to me that most likely, nearly All of the riders that have NO Cars are Illegal Aliens.
FIRST, we need to have the ultimate debate on Man Caused climate change BEFORE we rip our economy apart to cure a phantom problem that can’t be cured by whatever reduction in CO2 emissions Californians can effect as a percentage of the worldwide emissions.”
Ron and Anna Winship.
You know that I have been in communication with a former Lincoln Club president on the concept of a bullet train from Vegas to Victorville.
My thought was that high rollers from the Persian gulf would put their families on a train to Disnelyand for the day while they hung out at bacarrat tables. Vegas casino owners would gladly kick in for this system.
We felt that south of Victorville presents problems. This rail system was to be 100% private sector funded, long before president Obama was elected
Brother Vern.
I am truly disappointed. You are one of the few Juice readers who gets advance copies of my posts by e-mail.
If you check back you will find that I have published over six HSR stories all of which confirm my opposition to this high speed train.
AFTER we voted on Prop 1A the CHSRA published data incluidng a reduction in their ridership projections and increases fares in a bait and switch on the voters.
Amazing. While the state drops funding for transit, which serves Democrats more than Republicans, you prefer putting all of our limited funds for a high speed special interest train for Curt Pringle’s ARTIC dream.
Take you pick. Fund entitlements of health care and education or pay upwards of a $billion per year for debt service.
We killed Centerline in OC and new need to place our focus on another loser. CAHSR.
Care to venture a guess on how much the fares will be subsidized for operation?
Who is Larry “Iglbert” anyway? Typo.
Senator Lowenthal calls Republicans the party of NO. Yet when Lucy Dunn asks him to push back on SB 375 and delay its implementation he dug in his heels and refused.
So instead of having 40 passengers on an OCTD bus you cut funding for transit which might result in having more cars on the roads.
Great Democrat leadership position taken by the honorable Alan Lowenthal, Chair, State Senate Transportation Committee.
Speaker Patrick D. Kelly, Secretary Treasurer and Principal Officer, Teamsters Local 952 needs to have a heart to heart meeting with Alan as more OCTA drivers get their walking papers next month.