Central Valley officials react to High Speed Rail audit

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Federal officials are auditing the High-Speed Rail.

“This can help determine whether billions of dollars in taxpayer money should remain committed to California’s high-speed rail,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

Duffy announced the investigation during a press conference alongside local legislators Thursday.

He says the federal government is deciding whether to give $4 billion to help build the stretch of track between Bakersfield and Merced.

“This project actually goes through my district and I’ve seen this failure firsthand,” District 20 Representative Vince Fong said.

“Isn’t it ridiculous that there isn’t a financial plan in place for something that has already been started building?” District 8 Assemblyman David Tangipa asked.

Local republican leaders claim the construction delays and tripled cost estimation are proof of the project’s failure.

However, Henry Perea with the Board of Supervisors over the High Speed Rail Authority says audits like this contribute to those very delays.

He says they’ve had at least 200 audits in the 10 years since construction began.

“We certainly have the plan to spend that $4 billion as a part of completing this project. But if they turn around and say, ‘we’re not going to give you that money,’ then we have to pull back,” Perea said.

Even if they don’t get the money, he says work will continue temporarily. 

“Right now, we have the money in the bank to keep working for the next two-and-a-half to three years. So we’re moving forward,” Perea said.

He says the High-Speed Rail project has created a lot of jobs in our community, and he wants to see it through to the end.

Duffy, on the other hand, is less optimistic.

“The project’s not going to happen. There is no timeline in which you’re going to have a High-Speed Rail that goes from L.A. to San Francisco,” Duffy said.