[quote]
The state’s top analyst on Tuesday urged lawmakers to slam the brakes on California’s $68 billion bullet train, cautioning that the newly overhauled plan simply isn’t “strong enough” and relies on “highly speculative” funding sources.
The report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office is especially significant as the state Senate and Assembly on Wednesday begin a debate on whether to start building the high-speed rail line, a decision officials revealed Tuesday will likely be delayed into the summer. The report could give a divided Legislature the political cover it needs to halt the biggest public works project in California history; otherwise, lawmakers would have to go against the advice of their own experts.
It is the latest in a series of stinging critiques of the project by independent watchdog groups. But it’s the first analysis since the Brown administration early this month unveiled a scaled-back version of the rail line that was intended to appease critics by trimming the cost by $30 billion, speeding up the start of service by five years and electrifying the Caltrain line by the end of the decade.
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Somehow I don’t think “lets start building it first and then we will figure out” mentality is going to care much about it!
