FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 10, 2012
|
CONTACT:
Rachel Wall, 916-384-9026
Janis
Mara, 916-403-0551
|
STATEMENT
IN RESPONSE TO PROPOSED LEGISLATION
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In response to legislation proposed this
week, Lance Simmens, Deputy Director for Communications, released the following
statement:
“We are working with the legislature, including Assemblywoman
Harkey and her staff, to outline the near and long-term benefits of this
important statewide transportation project. The draft business plan is
currently in a comment period and we’ll be releasing a final business plan
once those comments have been taken into consideration. We believe the
Assemblywoman’s proposed legislation is not a timely or constructive effort
to ensure California’s long-term transportation needs are met.
“Over the next several decades the high-speed train project will
alleviate intrastate traffic and bring our state into a 21st
century economy. This proposed legislation dismisses both the short term
benefits of providing jobs at a time when thousands of people are out of work
as well as the long-term transit and growth benefits.
“Our
population growth compels major transportation infrastructure expansion.
High-speed rail will address this issue more effectively and economically
than other alternatives such as highway and airport expansion.”
|
###