With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Feinstein backs Jerry Brown's plan to merge Caltrans, high-speed rail
Listen
• 0:51
File: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) questions witnesses at a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 30, 2011 in Washington, DC.
(
Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
)
Capitol Hill has shown little love for California’s high-speed rail project. Lawmakers from the Northeast want the money spent on a line from Boston to Washington; GOP members from California want the money to fix roads. California’s senior Sen. Dianne Feinstein is trying to put the proposal back on what she believes is the right track.
Feinstein says California could lose 3.5 billion federal dollars unless the state can get the high-speed rail project back “on a steady path to success.” Feinstein supports Gov. Jerry Brown’s idea of merging the High-Speed Rail Authority with Caltrans.
In a letter to the governor, Feinstein says the partnership could permit a rapid reassessment of the route, better decision making about the stages of construction and substantial progress on acquiring right of way. The state has until fall to meet the federal government’s deadline to begin construction.
Last week, the California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group declined to recommend the sale of bonds for the project, saying high-speed rail “represents an immense financial risk” to California.
Support for LAist comes from
This week the High-Speed Rail Authority lost its press secretary to Walmart.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
Best of LAist