California politicians at odds over what should happen to high-speed rail money
REDDING, Calif. - Last month, the Trump Administration said it wanted California to return billions in federal high-speed rail money.
U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, (R-CA), is sponsoring legislation to make that happen.
LaMalfa said his High-Speed Refund Act would allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to redirect the money so it could be spent on important freight and highway projects such as widening Highway 70 in Northern California.
“After countless blunders, skyrocketing costs, and more uncertainty than ever, it’s time to cut our losses and kill California’s misguided high-speed rail project,” LaMalfa said in a statement. “This project was doomed from the start.”
More: Derailed? Feds plan to cancel nearly $1B for California's high-speed rail project
This week, I introduced the High-Speed Refund Act to require California to return all federal funding for high-speed rail. This money is being wasted on a doomed project, and California taxpayers - as well as taxpayers from the 49 other states - deserve a refund. pic.twitter.com/CbnehSK5hd
— Rep. Doug LaMalfa (@RepLaMalfa) March 7, 2019
More: Trump tweets about California's plans for high-speed rail. Gov. Newsom responds: 'Fake news'
LaMalfa said taxpayers deserve a refund from California’s mistake. The governor's office and a California Democrat, who has worked with the Republican lawmaker in Congress, declined to comment on his bill.
Asked why LaMalfa is not pushing for the money to stay in in the state, spokesman Parker Williams said Congress can’t restrict funding to a state or region because that would be an earmark.
Under LaMalfa’s bill, the returned money would go through a competitive grant program — in this case, the INFRA (Infrastructure for Rebuilding America).
The Trump Administration in February announced plans to cancel $929 million in federal funding for the high-speed rail project and wants the state to return an additional $2.5 billion it’s already spent.
“Congressman LaMalfa’s bill would make that actually happen legislatively and provide direction to DOT,” Williams said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has said California will not return the money. He fired back on Twitter, calling Trump's tweet that California has canceled its high-speed rail project "fake news."
"This is CA’s money, allocated by Congress for this project. We’re not giving it back. The train is leaving the station — better get on board!" Newsom stated on Twitter.
Fake news. We’re building high-speed rail, connecting the Central Valley and beyond.
This is CA’s money, allocated by Congress for this project. We’re not giving it back.
The train is leaving the station — better get on board!
(Also, desperately searching for some wall $$??) https://t.co/9hxEfEX8Vm— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 14, 2019
While Newsom has said for now the line between Los Angeles and San Francisco won't get built, he wants to finish construction from Bakersfield to Merced.
The governor’s office declined to comment about LaMalfa’s move.
The high-speed rail project has ballooned to $77 billion.
LaMalfa’s bill directs Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to take the necessary actions to get all the discretionary funds California received for its high-speed rail project back to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury.
What’s more, LaMalfa believes his bill will increase funding for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America program by $3.5 billion — the amount of money he says California owes to federal taxpayers.
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, (D-CA), who has worked with LaMalfa on other legislation, including a bill that would speed up the review for the proposed Sites Reservoir, declined to comment on LaMalfa’s High-Speed Refund Act.
Follow David Benda on Twitter: @DavidBenda_RS
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: California politicians at odds over what should happen to high-speed rail money
