YES on 1A: High Speed Trains to Connect California and Combat Global Warming

This is almost a no-brainer. This $9.95 billion bond would partially fund a high-speed train between LA and San Francisco, with extensions to Sacramento and San Diego, at a total cost of about $45 billion (including the extensions).

The organization I work for has been working on California's high-speed train for several years, and this summer we finally won enough changes in the plan to endorse Prop 1A.

California desperately needs a better transportation system, especially to connect southern and northern California. Our current options are widening I-5/Hwy 99 and building LOTS more airports and runways. That would be a greenhouse gas catastrophe.

The high-speed train will finally be a green and convenient connection, using much less energy and actually reducing greenhouse gas emissions than the alternatives. To toot our own horn, that's in part because we won a commitment, written into Prop 1A, that the trains will run on 100% renewable power.

And for you planning wonks, the train stations in the central valley are ALL in their downtown areas, not the edge of town, which will help those fast-growing cities focus on revitalizing their downtown areas instead of paving over ALL our prime farmland.

Why "almost" a no-brainer?

It's a bond that does not raise taxes. I'm generally not a fan of bonds (pun intended) because of their impact on the state budget. But this is one of the few cases where bonds make sense: huge capital project that will take years to complete and needs a big down payment of a public investment.

Fortunately, as the League of Women Voters says, "This revised proposition addresses concerns about cost and financial uncertainties by requiring a new business plan, peer review, and other accountability provisions, and it allows bond funds to be used for the other segments if there is no negative impact on the first phase." Bond money can only be used after private and federal dollars that provide a more than two to one match for state dollars.

If you're still not sure, check out the humongous list of supporters.

Vote Yes on 1A to build a high-speed train that will connect California, ease congestion, and combat global warming.