Here's one more example of committees being formed for high-speed rail in CA, but not one foot of track has yet to be built

Central Valley Business Times

Central Valley has no seat on bullet train ‘peer review’ committee


SACRAMENTO
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April 17, 2009 8:54am

• Some appointments yet to be made

• Committee to make sure money is not wasted

The Central Valley has no one on a new “peer review committee” that is supposed to review the planning, engineering, financing and other elements of the plans for the California high-speed “bullet train.”

The High-Speed Rail Independent Peer Review Committee is expected to issue an analysis of the rail authority's financing plan, including the funding plan required for each corridor.

A large portion of the train’s route will be through the Central Valley.

The committee is to include eight members: three designated by the secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, one designated by the director of the Department of Finance, two designated by the treasurer and two designated by the controller.

The following have been designated by Business, Transportation and Housing Agency Secretary Dale Bonner:

• Louis Thompson, 67, of Saratoga, has served as principal of Thompson, Galenson and Associates since 2003, a consulting firm that works with public and commercial clients on railway and transport issues.

• Will Kempton, 62, of Folsom, who is director of the California Department of Transportation.

• Eugene Skoropowski, 64, of Dublin, who has served as managing director for the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority since 1999.

The following has been designated by Department of Finance Director Michael Genest:

• John Chalker, 58, of San Diego, who has served as managing director and portfolio manager for the LM Capital Group since 1995.

These positions do not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary.

Neither the treasurer nor the controller have made any appointments yet.

A spokesman for Controller John Chiang said he was reviewing potential appointees but had not made a decision.

A spokesman for Treasurer Bill Lockyer said he was unaware of any movement on appointments.

“With this Peer Review Committee, we are assuring our federal, local and public partners that high-speed rail in California will be planned with foresight, built and operated efficiently, and financed with accountability to the taxpayers,” says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The state formed the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) in 1996 and voters provided a nearly $10 billion down payment for high-speed rail in California with the passage of Proposition 1A last November.

CHSRA is actively pursuing a multi-track financing strategy for the planning, design and construction phases of the project, including three tiers: state and local funding, federal funding and public-private partnerships.