Pringle’s Perplexing Pitch for Public Prosperity
If anyone had any doubt about the validity of a high-speed rail project in California, all they need to do is read a succinct editorial by Steve Forbes in the online edition of Forbes magazine.
Typically we think of high-speed rail projects as a local affair, but Forbes demonstrates that it’s really a not-so-original template for the grabbing of public money, and can happen just about anywhere. The ratio of dollars spent compared to the percentage of the public who would actually end up using such services is dramatically out of proportion.
Forbes points out that high-speed rail projects are a relatively risk-free ticket for politicians to further their careers, fleecing the taxpayers big-time in the process. The fact that the proposed line from Anaheim to San Francisco would cost an estimated $43 billion should be enough to make any sane person think twice, and perhaps even lose a little sleep, but apparently Mr. Pringle is immune to such basic human contemplation.
This sort of shenanigans on such a grand scale would never occur in the free market, it’s only under the guise of government serving the public good that such perverse misuse of public funds could take place legally. Just what planet is he from, anyway?
This guy is a sham. He posted guards at polling places in his racist attempt to intimidate latinos from voting in an election and when he ran for mayor he was so far up latinos assess he actually turned a little brown. This guy is a phony and a leech of taxpayer’s dollars just like his fellow buddy Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly. These two should be removed from any office they are in. Tom Daly
What’s really funny is that the other day Pringle apologist Matthew J. Cunningham actually agreed with you. Then he went on to say that if we must have HSR he’s awfully glad we have conservative Curt Pringle to run it! If you review Pringle’s record you will find nothing that suggests conservatism and lots that suggest greasing the skids for big moneyed interest.
Let’s not forget that the Bond Measure to start this boondoggle was founded on a lie: no business plan was ever created prior to the initiative as required. In fact I don’t believe there is a business plan yet. And Pringle has been pushing this scam from the get-go – a fact conveniently overlooked by the Jerb.
As to Pringle, this site has documented the nature of this individual: he is a lobbyist who makes his excellent living trading and peddling influence at government agencies.
He makes 5K a month trying to find a new cemetery site. He made $150K a year alongside Cunningham representing Rob Reiner’s Children and Families Commission.
When you leave this guy’s presence check for your watch your rings and your wallet.
You are correct Joe, to date there has not been an investment grade business plan submitted for review. Some of us think that makes Prop1A open to legal challenge. Not that i would know anything about that…
Funny that you should mention Pringle and Cunningham. A post is in the hopper!
I’m curious what happens with the Curtster’s campaign funding account — he’s collected 000s from his sycophant followers for campaigns he’s never waged.
This guy’s a fraud and deserves the same fate of another ex-OC Mayor — Dave Garofalo from Huntington Beach is forever barred from holding public office again.
Typically they will park it in an account for some nebulous race like State Board of Equalization 2020, and then use it to fluff the campaigns of those they need to use later. Not that Curt would ever use money to game the system of course.
Don’t forget about the people who get to sell their land for an inflated price all the way up to SF.
Hey it sounds like Tom Daly took a page out of Pringle’s book. Raise money for a campaign and then don’t run for it.