Gov. Brown signs California high-speed rail bill

SAN FRANCISCO -- With his most public cheerleading yet for California's bullet train, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed the $8 billion bill to kick off high-speed rail construction as he lobbied to win back voters who are increasingly skeptical of the rail line.

Brown's day-long, dual-city signature event began during a morning press conference at Union Station in Los Angeles and is set to be followed by another gala with supporters at the future Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. The locations were fitting in many ways since the stations will serve as the two endpoints of the $69 billion line, though Brown had to fly between events.

The centerpiece of SB 1029, however, is $6 billion to start building the first tracks in the Central Valley early next year. The remaining $2 billion will beef up transit while laying the groundwork for high-speed rail in the Bay Area and Southern California, including electrification of the existing Caltrain line between San Francisco and San Jose.

"This legislation will help put thousands of people in California back to work. By improving regional transportation systems, we are investing in the future of our state and making California a better place to live and work," said Brown, whose signature was only a formality since he led the charge for the bullet train in Sacramento.

High-speed rail has become increasingly unpopular around the state, and polls show a majority of voters now oppose the plan

largely because of its record costs and uncertain prospects for completion. Brown, who was silent publicly when the Legislature debated his bullet train plan two weeks ago, now needs Californians back on board.

The governor is campaigning for voters to approve Proposition 30, hikes on sales taxes and on the wealthy, this November to raise $8.5 billion and avoid drastic cuts to education and other state services. A recent Field Poll showed some 20 percent of likely "yes" voters on the taxes were less likely to support the measure if high-speed rail got approved.

"That doesn't mean they're going to all vote 'no', it's just a negative drag on their early intentions to vote 'yes,'" Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said Wednesday. "It puts those voters in a more vulnerable position -- it puts them in play."

The positive messaging has already begun, and the plan appears to be to play-down the bullet train system itself. In a press release about his signature, Brown's office titled the message "Governor Brown Signs Legislation to Improve California's Transportation System." It begins by saying the bill will "create thousands of new jobs in California by modernizing regional transportation systems" before mentioning high-speed rail.

The press release goes on in detail to mention local projects that will benefit from the funds, and how many jobs will be created, without ever detailing the particulars of the high-speed rail project.

Bay Area Democrats, unions and business leaders applauded Brown for improving a wobbling high-speed rail plan in the last year, helping to reduce the most recent cost estimates by $30 billion, speeding up construction and giving funds to the urban areas.

"Governor Brown got this project back on track, changed the course of California history and our region is a big beneficiary," said Jim Wunderman, CEO of the pro-business Bay Area Council.

The Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed the plan along party lines on July 5, while it passed by a single vote in the Senate on July 6.

Contact Mike Rosenberg at 408-920-5705. Follow him at twitter.com/rosenberg17.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_21102930/governor-brown-signs-california-high-speed-rail-bill?source=rss

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