Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

Thank you so much for your latest article (Dennis Wyatt column on May 18: “Railroading high speed rail thru the system”) on California’s high-speed rail.  You nailed it.  We are pushing it around the state.  Perhaps the Supreme Court will finally tell Jerry Brown, no Jerry, CEQA applies in the state of California.  As one of the appellate court judges noted, that indeed it is an odd position for the state to be arguing.

Now the state supreme court will decide hopefully on the same side of the Atherton appellate court decision.  If Brown loses, I am wondering if the attorney general will take their argument to the US Supreme Court which will perhaps have a bend toward a favorable federal decision.  

I can’t wait until Brown leaves office.  Others tell me it won’t be an automatic shutdown but perhaps we can get some more reasonable heads in Sacramento.  By the way, I hear the Surface Transportation Board is expanding and who knows with a re-structure from the party in power, they may change their tune as well regarding this subject. 

I am fairly confident that Trump will continue to reward his supporters and punish those who did not support him or his policies. That might take care of Jerry Brown and the California Senators badgering him for money.  But who knows? The Republican platform forbids investment in what I believe they categorized as the boondoggle in California, the California High Speed Rail Authority project.

I am an independent voter just happy for the change in attitude on this ridiculous project.  A train for the rich on the backs of the poor, a very unusual position for the Democrats to make.  It’s the labor union dollars and the fear of Jerry Brown that allows this project to live. 

Personally I’ve been out of state for almost three years and unfortunately have experienced some health problems but I’m OK and on the mend.  I’ll be back in California by the end of June.  I am on the board of Community Coalition on HSR and have been active on weekly calls since 2009.  Our group among others is active in funding the lawsuits. 

Keep up the fabulous work.

Kathy Hamilton