Look Up In The Sky! It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No It’s a Pringle!
Don’t feel so bad. The consultants, lobbyists, con men, and other assorted rip-off artists are pushing the multi-billion high speed rail in other places, too. Here’s an article from the Fresno Bee that tells all about how the local gentry are trying to grab their share of the HSR gravy that they think will be a big deal for the raisin capital of the state.
The common denominator, of course, is Anaheim’s termed-out Mayor-For-Hire, the irrepressible Curt Pringle who figures to make big bucks as a “consultant” for this boondoggle when his days as a conflicted politician are over. The Fresno crowd wined and dined hizzoner and he was clearly impressed with the show of unanimity – much more than he’s getting down south these days. He even promised them a 2012 start for the project.
Come December Pringle will be out of office, and will no longer be able to pull the strings at OCTA either, although it sure looks like he’s getting his ducks in a row, puppet-wise there and at Anaheim’s City Hall.
“If Fresno gets this and builds it now it will be far cheaper than the procrastinating and building later when all costs will have increased. Fresno needs this.”
Sound familiar?
We need to be careful about who we elect. IMHO, at some point, OCTA will offer up some big financial incentives to various city councils for supporting HSR. Will our council have the guts to turn down the much needed money for the sake of principles (protecting Fullerton property owners from condemnation)?
Board meeting next week, attend if you can.
http://www.redcounty.com/high-speed-rail-upcoming-board-meeting-covers-critical-issues/41448