Although my response (in upper case) will do
nothing to change Margaret Okozumi's mind, it
will inform her that there is indeed opposition
to this mega-boondoggle. People like us who
think "Green" need to understand that the
construction of this vast system will pollute and
generate GHG at an unprecedented scale. Nor will
it do anything to alter transit behavior for most
Californians. I agree with Margaret. . . as she
says, the time to do this is now; that is, we
should notify our legislators how absurd this
project is and how detrimental it would be to the
economic well-being of the state.

Let me say this as strongly as I can: if this
project becomes a reality, and we did nothing to
stop it, how will we feel as the rail corridor
becomes an elevated four-track high-speed fly-way?

Martin
---------------------------------------
From: Margaret Okozumi
To: Martin Engel
Subject: Re: High Speed Rail needs your support now
>
>>While Gov. Schwarzenegger has been touting his "green" credentials, it
>>appears that his administration is trying to kill high-speed rail. And with
>>a tight budget situation in Sacramento this year many legislators are not
yet committed to supporting funding for HSR. We
need high-speed rail to combat climate change and
prevent our state from traffic paralysis in the
future.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT WILL MAKE
MASSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE BY VIRTUE
OF ITS SCALE, BUT NOT FO THE BETTER. IT'S CALLED
FULL-COST ACCOUNTING. TRAFFIC PARALYSIS IS A
LOCAL AND REGIONAL PROBLEM, NOT A STATE
INTER-CITY PROBLEM. THE HSR WON'T GET ONE PERSON
TO STOP DRIVING.

The alternatives are highway and airport
expansions that cost twice as much and create a
lot of negative environmental impacts.

SINCE THIS PROJECT WILL COST NOT THE PROPOSED $40
BILLION, BUT AS MUCH AS $100 BILLION, NOTHING
ELSE WE DO CAN COST "TWICE AS MUCH." AUTOMOBILES
AND AIRCRAFT ARE THE HISTORICAL SUCCESSORS TO
RAIL. THEY ARE GETTING CLEANER. HISTORY WILL
NOT LET US GO BACKWARD.

>>But if the High Speed Rail Authority doesn't get
>>significant funding this year the project may be dead. Because the
>>environmental work done to date has a limited shelf life, being unable to
>>complete the work this year could kill the project and waste the $47 million
investment made by the state so far.

>>$47 OR $147 MILLION IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET IF
>>WE STOP WASTING $100 BILLION. A GREAT IDEA IS
>>NEVER "DEAD." THE HSR IS A SOLUTION DESPERATELY
>>LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS. IT IS THE WRONG SOLUTION
>>TO CALIFORNIA'S PROBLEMS.
>>
>>On Thursday, May 10, there will be a key committee hearing in Sacramento
>>that will largely determine whether or not HSR is funded. Please fax letters
>>to the committee members or join us for the hearing in Sacramento to express
>>your support for HSR.
>>
>>Senate Budget Subcommittee 4 hearing
>>Thursday, May 10
>>@ 10 AM or upon adjournment of the previous session,
>>Room 112, State Capitol
>>item 2665, the High Speed Rail Authority's budget
>>
>>For more information, please see the letter that BayRail Alliance has sent
>>in support of the project:
>>http://www.bayrailalliance.org/california_high_speed_rail
>>
>>The Governor's staff will be watching this hearing. If we fail to
>>demonstrate strong support, it will discourages legislators who support us
>>and encourage the Governor to kill HSR.
>>
>>Please reply to this e-mail if you can attend the hearing in Sacramento. If
>>enough of us attend we can get discounted Capitol Corridor tickets.
>>
>>Please also encourage friends who live in the members' districts below to
>>contact their senator with letters of support. The time to do this is now!
>>
>>- - -
>>
>>Members of Senate Budget Sub 4 Committee
>>
>>1) Senator Michael Machado (Chair)
>>Senate District 5 - Tracy, Manteca and Stockton in San Joaquin County;
>>Suisun City, Fairfield, Dixon and Vacaville in Solano County; Davis, West
>>Sacramento, Winters and Woodland in Yolo County; as well as Walnut Grove and
>>a portion of Elk Grove in Sacramento County.
>>
>>Phone: (916) 651-4005
>>Fax: (916) 323-2304
>>
>>State Capitol, Room 5066
>>Sacramento, CA 95814
>>
>>2) Senator Robert Dutton (Republican)
>>Senate District 31 - southwestern portion of San Bernardino County and the
>>northwestern portion of Riverside County: all of Big Bear, Grand Terrace,
>>Highland, Loma Linda, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Upland, Yucaipa, Yucca
>>Valley, Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Mentone, Running Springs, An Antonio
>>Heights and portions of San Bernardino and Colton; all of Riverside, Glen
>>Avon, Highgrove, Mira Loma, Pedley, Rubidoux, Sunnyslope and all but a small
>>portion of Woodcrest.
>>
>>State Capitol, Room 5094
>>Sacramento, CA 95814
>>Phone: (916) 651-4031
>>Fax: (916) 327-2272
>>
>>3) Senator Christine Kehoe – Democrat from San Diego
>>Phone: (916) 651-4039
>>Fax: (916) 327-2188 State Capitol, Room 4038 Sacramento, CA 95814
>>
>>* * *
>>BayRail Alliance
>>www.bayrailalliance.org
>=======================================================
>I sent this letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times:

Your editorial, "Believe in high-speed rail for
California" (5.2.07), appears to have been
written by the California High Speed Rail
Commission. Except, you do make the point, over
and over, what a risky gamble this is. Gambling
with taxpayers' dollars is really not what
California wants to hear.
Every bond dollar will cost taxpayers two dollars
over the life of the bond. Let us be clear: the
present projected cost of $40 billion will surely
be two or three times as large.

Parsons Brinkerhoff, newsworthy for their gross
cost overruns with the Boston "Big Dig," will be
the lead contractor. Many studies show that
this project is ill conceived and doomed to an
expensive failure. I respectfully disagree with
you: it will be the biggest boondoggle in US
history. It's a train wreck waiting to happen.

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-- 
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Martin Engel
1621 Stone Pine Lane
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650:323-1670
martinengel@earthlink.net
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