Central Valley leaders react to federal funding cuts for California's high-speed rail

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- High-speed rail funding from the federal government is coming to a screeching halt, and the call for the cuts came from inside the state.

Valley U.S. Rep. Vince Fong went to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy himself, asking to pull $4 billion in funding allocated to the project because he says it's not being used well.

"The cost overruns, the delays, the mismanagement, the unrealistic ridership numbers," said Congressman Fong.

RELATED: Trump administration pulls $4B in federal funding for California's high-speed rail

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that the California High Speed Rail Authority is suing the Trump administration over the funding cut.

The governor's office said the lawsuit alleges that termination of the agreements is petty, political retribution, motivated by President Trump's personal animus toward California and the high-speed rail project, not by facts on the ground.

"Trump's termination of federal grants for California high-speed rail reeks of politics. It's yet another political stunt to punish California," Gov. Newsom said in a statement. "In reality, this is just a heartless attack on the Central Valley that will put real jobs and livelihoods on the line. We're suing to stop Trump from derailing America's only high-speed rail actively under construction."

In June, the High-Speed Rail Authority said it expected trains to be rolling by 2030, ten years after the initial goal and well above the original estimated cost of $33 billion.

Now, it's expected to cost between $89 and $128 billion.

"We could take $500 million of the $128 billion, invest it and improve the infrastructure in downtown Fresno to build roads, to fill the potholes, to ensure the vitality of the community," said Fong.

Henry Perea, who sits on the board of the High-Speed Rail Authority, said the delays and continually climbing costs are legitimate.

"Some have been delays that were created internally by the organization, and some were created by litigation. These very politicians that we're talking about are very against high-speed rail," said Perea. "We went to the voters and we said, 'We need x billions of dollars for high-speed rail.' The real explanation at that time should have been, 'This is the money you need to start this program.'"

Perea has every confidence the state will move forward with the project, regardless of federal funding, and they've actually been anticipating the cuts.

He said the project is fully funded for the next two years and pointed to Gov. Newsom's current budget, which would give $1 billion annually over the next 20 years to complete its initial operating segment.

But not everyone in the state assembly approves of the move to give more state money to the high-speed rail project.

Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo from Tulare would like to see the money go to other projects.

"It would be great if we could finish the California 99," said Assemblywoman Macedo. "That's been a big project for a long time, and additionally, making sure that the roads that we do have are in good working order."

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