November 18, 2018 - FRESNO – Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) made the following statement regarding the audit results released Thursday a year after his initial request for an emergency audit of the project. That request was made amid revelations of a multi-billion dollar funding shortfall for the 119 mile central valley segment as well as a seven year delay and the clear lack of leadership as key executives left their posts.

“Today, after a supposed rededication to transparency by the new project CEO Brian Kelley, we are in exactly the same position we were a year ago. Insurmountable funding shortfalls, continued mismanagement and hugely flawed assumptions mean this project is dead in the water.

“We also learned this week that the Southern California leg costs could cost as much as $11 billion more than was listed in the 2018 business plan released in February.

“There will never be a completed track from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. This project cannot be revived in its current state and this audit is further proof that the best we can hope for is a rump railroad running from Bakersfield to Madera.

“The High Speed Rail Authority is under extreme scrutiny by the Federal Rail Administration as well. If results of the ongoing federal audit shows the HSRA misused Federal funds in violation of the grant agreement, the state could be forced to return $3.5 billion in funding, $2.6 billion of which has already been spent by the HSRA – which would be a devastating blow to a project that’s already collapsing.”

The FRA audit started in April and results are expected in the coming months.

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Assemblyman Jim Patterson represents the 23rd Assembly District, which includes Auberry, Centerville, Clovis, Fresno, Friant, Minkler, Shaver Lake and Three Rivers.
Source: Assemblyman Jim Patterson