We've already told you a lot about California's high-speed rail boondoggle. The project started almost 20 years ago at a projected cost of $33 billion. That cost has now ballooned to $128 billion and it might be done in 2033 (spoiler alert: it won't be done in 2033).
But that's not the only example. In 2014 -- a decade ago -- California voters approved spending on water storage and reservoirs. Billions in spending. A new reservoir hasn't been built since 1979.
Here's another one:
amazing...in 2016, the California Legislature passed a bill to update its Y2K-era campaign finance portal, estimating development costs at $11.6 million w/a completion date of February 2019.
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) January 28, 2025
The latest cost estimate is now $92.3 million w/a completion date of February 2027. pic.twitter.com/dzlTpf1Zr4
So the costs have skyrocketed and it'll take almost a decade to complete.
Where is that money going?
Why is that money -- earmarked for specific projects -- clearly not being spent on those projects?
If a business did this, the CEO and a bunch of employees would be behind bars.
The current budget allocates $5.4M from the 2025-2026 general fund to cover the ongoing costs...the Secretary of State requested an additional $15M earlier this month to cover the $20.4M it says it needs for the project this year.https://t.co/EhgLQ1H3xl pic.twitter.com/aUy3oSivRz
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) January 28, 2025
Just insane.
The rating is green?
— Claudia Bitzer (@ClaudiaBitzer) January 28, 2025
It sure us.
It's considered to be on time and within its budget.https://t.co/jIom9ZOacg
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) January 28, 2025
What a joke.
This is amateur hour. Cover Oregon managed to burn $250 million in 2 and 1/2 years not building a functional website.
— 1967mustangman (@1967mustangman) January 28, 2025
Once again, any business that did this would be out of business and face criminal charges of some sort.
Just turn this over to a few Stanford engineers, offer them $5 million and it would be done in 6 weeks.
— Joe Patterson (@Patterdude) January 28, 2025
Some coder sitting in his basement could do this for half that.
Why didn’t the state do any fire management upgrades?
— WW (@the_urb) January 28, 2025
Oh, I see.
That money is going somewhere, and it's not where it's needed.
When a thousand cuts leads to sepsis. https://t.co/ctu9GW7Ayu
— Herodotus (@Oenoan) January 28, 2025
Yep.
It never ceases to amaze how poorly California is governed. https://t.co/AZ23T1N3BG
— Millenium Frinklin (@frinklin) January 28, 2025
Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does.
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