Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo calls Newsom’s High-Speed Rail update an “absolute disgrace”

Republican Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo did not mince her words when it comes to the High-Speed Rail after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the completion of the project’s southern railhead and as some lawmakers seek to keep project records secret. “For him to show up and act like he’s giving us a gift is an absolute disgrace and disrespectful to the Central Valley,” Macedo said, who represents parts of Tulare, Kings and Fresno counties. She noted she was in middle school when the project started and blasted the governor’s press event in Kern County earlier in the week. “No track has been laid, and then he stood in front of freight train and freight track,” she said. “He is failing fundamental needs of the valley.” “Then they have the audacity to sell to the taxpayers that this is going to be from Los Angeles to San Francisco,” she said. “There is no viable path forward for this project.” Macedo last year asked the Trump administration to look into the embattled project. She was alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy when he announced a federal investigation into the project which ultimately resulted in the federal government pulling $4 billion in funds. Macedo this week sent a letter to the High-Speed Rail Authority’s CEO Ian Choudri to provide her office with an updated spending plan. She confirmed he has yet to respond to her. Macedo said her letter followed a conversation she had last year with Choudri, in which she asked what his plan was when the federal funds were at risk. “He goes, ‘ Rob Bonta’s going to sue on it and we’ll get the money,” Macedo said. “I said, ‘ok, that’s a perfect world.. what is your plan?’ Basically, they didn’t have one.” California ended up dropping its lawsuit against the Trump administration to recoup the funds. Newsom said it was clear the federal government could not be a trustworthy partner for the project moving forward. “This is years of failures by the California state government that has led this project to absolutely be at a dead-end,” Macedo said.Macedo said she asked Choudri if he’s surveyed people in the Central Valley to get a sense of what ridership could look like, or how much a ticket could cost. She said Choudri could not provide information on either. The project’s independent Office of the Inspector General is seeking new confidentiality tools this year to try to keep some records about the project secret that could “reveal weaknesses” that could harm the state or allow an individual to benefit inappropriately off of the project. Newsom’s administration and Assemblymember Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, have filed legislation to try to enact this. When asked if she had a sense of what prompted the legislation, Macedo pointed to litigation the High-Speed Rail settled last month for half a billion dollars to a construction company for delay-related contractual issues.”That’s the kind of stuff we can hide with this new bill,” she said, noting the proposal aims to shield weaknesses that don’t serve the interest of the state.At the High Speed Rail Authority’s Board Meeting Jan. 21, the panel went into a lengthy closed session to discuss the issue. The board unanimously approved a settlement change order with Dragados Flatiron Joint Venture for up to $537.3 million. The company oversees the design build for the design build for the project’s 65-mile route located within Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties. The settlement change order would represent the project’s most expensive change order since it began, according to High Speed Rail Authority records. A spokesman for the California High-Speed Rail Authority denied that there is any connection between the settlement change order and the bill that could shield some project records from the public. “This action reflects the Authority’s renewed commitment to delivering with urgency and accountability,” said Micah Flores, the rail authority’s spokesman, referring to the change order. “It resolved outstanding claims and critically, ties payment to achieving defined performance milestones and completing the work necessary to accelerate track-laying this year. We remain focused on converting construction progress into a track-ready corridor as quickly as possible.” “The Inspector General’s report has been gold,” Macedo said. “But now to add another layer of secrecy to a project that has been scrutinized for its lack of transparency, for its lack of results, for its failure on promises and now amidst all of the claims of fraud waste and abuse, lawmakers think this is a good idea? Absolutely not.” KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

Republican Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo did not mince her words when it comes to the High-Speed Rail after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the completion of the project’s southern railhead and as some lawmakers seek to keep project records secret.

“For him to show up and act like he’s giving us a gift is an absolute disgrace and disrespectful to the Central Valley,” Macedo said, who represents parts of Tulare, Kings and Fresno counties. She noted she was in middle school when the project started and blasted the governor’s press event in Kern County earlier in the week.

“No track has been laid, and then he stood in front of freight train and freight track,” she said. “He is failing fundamental needs of the valley.”

“Then they have the audacity to sell to the taxpayers that this is going to be from Los Angeles to San Francisco,” she said. “There is no viable path forward for this project.”

Macedo last year asked the Trump administration to look into the embattled project. She was alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy when he announced a federal investigation into the project which ultimately resulted in the federal government pulling $4 billion in funds.

Macedo this week sent a letter to the High-Speed Rail Authority’s CEO Ian Choudri to provide her office with an updated spending plan. She confirmed he has yet to respond to her.

Macedo said her letter followed a conversation she had last year with Choudri, in which she asked what his plan was when the federal funds were at risk.

“He goes, ‘[Attorney General] Rob Bonta’s going to sue on it and we’ll get the money,” Macedo said. “I said, ‘ok, that’s a perfect world.. what is your plan?’ Basically, they didn’t have one.”

California ended up dropping its lawsuit against the Trump administration to recoup the funds. Newsom said it was clear the federal government could not be a trustworthy partner for the project moving forward.

“This is years of failures by the California state government that has led this project to absolutely be at a dead-end,” Macedo said.

Macedo said she asked Choudri if he’s surveyed people in the Central Valley to get a sense of what ridership could look like, or how much a ticket could cost. She said Choudri could not provide information on either.

The project’s independent Office of the Inspector General is seeking new confidentiality tools this year to try to keep some records about the project secret that could “reveal weaknesses” that could harm the state or allow an individual to benefit inappropriately off of the project. Newsom’s administration and Assemblymember Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, have filed legislation to try to enact this.

When asked if she had a sense of what prompted the legislation, Macedo pointed to litigation the High-Speed Rail settled last month for half a billion dollars to a construction company for delay-related contractual issues.

“That’s the kind of stuff we can hide with this new bill,” she said, noting the proposal aims to shield weaknesses that don’t serve the interest of the state.

At the High Speed Rail Authority’s Board Meeting Jan. 21, the panel went into a lengthy closed session to discuss the issue. The board unanimously approved a settlement change order with Dragados Flatiron Joint Venture for up to $537.3 million. The company oversees the design build for the design build for the project’s 65-mile route located within Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties. The settlement change order would represent the project’s most expensive change order since it began, according to High Speed Rail Authority records.

A spokesman for the California High-Speed Rail Authority denied that there is any connection between the settlement change order and the bill that could shield some project records from the public.

“This action reflects the Authority’s renewed commitment to delivering with urgency and accountability,” said Micah Flores, the rail authority’s spokesman, referring to the change order. “It resolved outstanding claims and critically, ties payment to achieving defined performance milestones and completing the work necessary to accelerate track-laying this year. We remain focused on converting construction progress into a track-ready corridor as quickly as possible.”

“The Inspector General’s report has been gold,” Macedo said. “But now to add another layer of secrecy to a project that has been scrutinized for its lack of transparency, for its lack of results, for its failure on promises and now amidst all of the claims of fraud waste and abuse, lawmakers think this is a good idea? Absolutely not.”

KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.