The Ballot Measures: Prop 1A

Over the next couple weeks, we at Skynet will be bringing you our suggestions regarding the 12 ballot measures that qualified for the November 4th election.

Prop 1A - SAFE, RELIABLE HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER TRAIN BOND ACT

Vote: YES

We are normally not in favor of using bonds to pay for things the state should be laying out tax dollars for (although, bonds are paid off with tax money so don't let the right wing fool you) because its essentially using a credit card and the state ends up paying about twice as much as the bond is initally issued for due to interest. Periodically though, a bond is proposed for something the state truly needs and that is the case with Prop 1A.

The Prop is not without its flaws. As we mentioned above, the funding source is wrong and the route is hardly ideal. Overall though, the need to establish a beachhead for high speed rail in this country is imperative. A $57, 2 hour 44 minute trip from Irvine to Sacramento? Sign me up.

As America wrings her hands over energy independence, the need for reliable public transportation is overlooked. The railroads are woefully underused in this country for the transport of people. Amtrak is a mess and many major cities don't even have an adequate light rail system yet (for example, Phoenix, the 5th largest city in the country, is only now building such a system). We have an opportunity to once again make California the nation's leader in somthing other than smog.