Home California Democrats Fund $68 Billion High-Speed Rail, but Not Children’s School Buses

Democrats Fund $68 Billion High-Speed Rail, but Not Children’s School Buses

by ECT

Assembly Dems Kill Melendez Bill to Reallocate High-Speed Rail Funding Towards Public School Bus Transportation

Sacramento, Calif. – Assemblywoman Melissa A. Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) announced the Democrat-led Legislature killed her bill to reallocate funding from Governor Brown’s high-speed rail project to the state’s crippled public school bus program.

“The amount of money being spent on high-speed rail would be enough to provide free school bus transportation for every child for the next 45 years,” said Melendez. “But, of course Democrats are more concerned about an already out-of-date legacy project than a reliable way to and from home for school children.”

Unlike many other states, California does not guarantee school bus transportation to students who live beyond walking distance from school. Funding for school buses is insufficient, and many districts have significantly reduced or eliminated busing. Upon voter approval, AB 2530 would have reallocated the remaining bond funds for high-speed rail to California’s public school bus program.

“More than 230,000 K-12 students miss 18 days of school per year simply because they don’t have a way to get there,” said Melendez. “No child should fall behind because they are unable to get to school.”

According to news reports, high-speed rail is struggling to attract investors and is dealing with cost overruns. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that California’s high-speed rail project will face a federal audit.

###

Assemblywoman Melissa A. Melendez represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar and a portion of Hemet. It also includes the Riverside County unincorporated areas of Lake Mathews, Good Hope, Nuevo, and Winchester. Follow her on Twitter: @asmMelendez

You may also like

4 comments

Simonpure Apr 19, 2018 - 6:47 am

Go figure

Perry Apr 19, 2018 - 7:57 am

Can’t this same rhetoric be made about the federal government buying outlandish warships, missiles, weapons instead of health care for our citizenry?

Jeff Apr 19, 2018 - 1:51 pm

With Musk’s Hyperloop being tested already, why would they even want to THINK of this project?

Dirty Harry Apr 20, 2018 - 2:55 am

High Speed Rail – Waste of Money!!!

Comments are closed.