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Quality of Life

Court Blocks California High-Speed Rail Plan To Sell $8 Billion In Bond Funding

Court Blocks California High Speed Rail Financing
California’s High Speed Rail project may have stalled out in court. A judge ruled Monday the Rail Authority cannot sell eight billion dollars in bonds to help fund the project.

California’s high-speed rail project might have stalled out in court. A judge ruled Monday the Rail Authority cannot sell $8 billion in bonds to help fund the project. The judge also ordered the authority to rewrite its $68 billion funding plan before moving forward with construction.

Jon Coupal is with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which opposes the project.

“The best thing that the High Speed Rail Authority can do at this point is to go back to the Legislature and ask for a new bond measure, and this time tell the truth about what it is they’re trying to build," Coupal said. "But, at this point, this has been a disastrous day for the High Speed Rail Authority. But it’s been a great day for taxpayers.”

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The Rail Authority issued a statement saying the rulings present a challenge. But it emphasizes the judge did not order the project stopped all together.

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