California's high-speed rail project and the big money

The people of California voted in favor of Prop. 1A in 2008 and gave birth to the current boondoggle. As the newspaper correctly stated in an editorial May 10, there is no completion date, and the project is estimated to cost three times the original cost.

It has taken 14 years for any legislative leaders to question whether the money spigot should be turned off and the project scrapped. Gov. Newsom has known the project is doomed to fail, and has said so, yet he keeps the money flowing. Unbelievable. Even if the project was completed on time and at budget, it would not likely be profitable. Amtrak has been in existence since 1971 and has been a drain on taxpayers ever since.

— Rick Hofmann, Dana Point