FRESNO (KMJ) — An audit of California’s High Speed Rail has “gotten some real speed” now it has bipartisan support.
Republican State Assemblyman Jim Patterson’s confidence stems from a request made by Democratic State Senator Jim Beall, who has written to the Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to ask him to “approve an audit to examine the efficiency and efficacy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s current policies and practices in the construction of California’s High-Speed Rail Project.”
In his letter, Senator Beall writes that it is necessary that a legislative body to “provide strong oversight and guidance” to the project (click here to read the full letter).
“I think there’s a real high likelihood now that the joint audit committee is going to see the wisdom of a deep and serious non-partisan independent audit of High Speed Rail,” detailed Assemblyman Jim Patterson.
“The information that’s been public, particularly in the last several months, is really quite disturbing and so I think it does make sense that more members of the legislature than just myself are having the same kinds of concerns over it.
“So I think this is a major development.”
It comes after a previous attempt by Assemblyman Patterson to request an audit of the High Speed Rail Authority was rejected last year (click here to read more).
Both Assemblyman Patterson and Senator Beall are expected to attend the Joint Legislative Audit Committee’s hearing on Tuesday.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
