Who Will Really Get the Jobs?
Opportunity costs: Will building HSR create more jobs than it kills? I can't speak to the numbers in this article about the state of our existing nationwide infrastructure, but it does provide food for thought because building HSR will mean having to forego expenditures on long overdue repairs to what we already have in place. With the nation's and the state's current fiscal shape, building HSR is not a matter of not needing to expand highways or airports. It is also about giving up what we already have. We can't have it all. If we could, we wouldn't be behind on what we have. Add to these lost jobs those that will be taken out by the construction of HSR along the right-of-way.
December 1, 2010. State Engineers Sue Over a Highway to Golden Gate Bridge Because of Foreign Investors; Potential Impact Nationwide. Read the article here. "the "Gateway to San Francisco" is being built in a partnership with foreign investors under a new law that allows private firms to build public roads in California. And state engineers, who are missing out on much of the design work, are suing to stop it."
Along with the fiscal oversight, Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes bill that would preserve American jobs for HSR in order to prevent delays.
Galgiani’s Build California legislation was vetoed by our favorite vetoer.
I am returning Assembly Bill 1830 without my signature.
This bill would require the High-Speed Rail Authority to make every
effort to purchase high-speed train rolling stock and related
equipment that is manufactured in California.
While I support job creation in the state, this bill could result in
unnecessary additional costs and delays in the constructing of
high-speed rail in California and for this reason I am unable to sign
it.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Minority Jobs. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco and the Associated Professionals and Contractors filed an administrative complaint Wednesday against the California High Speed Rail Authority, charging it with unfair contracting practices that violate federal civil rights laws. According to the complaint (found here), less than 4 percent of contracting dollars have gone to small or micro-businesses. The authority is supposed to take steps to meet or exceed a statewide small business goal of 25 percent, the complaint says.