HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 119-11RESOLUTION NO. -149 -11
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF BAKERSFIELD OPPOSING THE HIGH SPEED
RAIL PROJECT, AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED
RECITALS
WHEREAS, with the passage of Proposition 1 A in November 2008, California
voters approved $9.95 billion in bond funding for high speed rail in California;
and
WHEREAS, the California High Speed Rail Authority (Authority) is proposing
to utilize said bonds to fund a high speed electrified train service for travel
between major metropolitan areas of California; and
WHEREAS, federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
money has also been allocated to the California high speed rail project; and
WHEREAS, the cost estimate for the project has grown 2.5 times the
amount stated on the November 4, 2008 state ballot; and
WHEREAS, the State of California continues to experience recurrent
deficits with no long-term solution to balance the budget; and
WHEREAS, a significant, yet to be determined additional amount of debt
would be incurred by the State as a result of the Authority's proposed High
Speed Rail project; and
WHEREAS, the current secured funding provides for a track from Borden to
a southerly point not yet clarified by the Authority; and
WHEREAS, there is no train; and
WHEREAS, there is no electrification to the track; and
WHEREAS, the first segment of track has no independent utility; and
WHEREAS, the Authority's business plan contains no less than six significant
issues for legislative consideration as identified by the non-partisan Legislative
Analyst's Office; and
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WHEREAS, the proposed alignments through metropolitan Bakersfield
contain comparable negative impacts to the community; and
WHEREAS, the proposed alignments will damage significant amounts of
local residences, businesses, schools, churches, historical structures, culturally
significant structures, freeway projects, open spaces and other basic critical
infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the proposed alignments could ultimately damage tens of
millions of dollars in City assets, with no significant mitigation; and
WHEREAS, the proposed alignments will significantly impact the availability
for the City to secure conventions and events at the arena and convention
center due to elimination of venue parking; and
WHEREAS, the loss of said conventions and events is anticipated to
significantly impact transient occupancy tax and sales tax revenues; and
WHEREAS, the current plan proposes a station which would negatively
impact numerous significant structures within downtown Bakersfield; and
WHEREAS, the station proposed by the Authority is over five times the size
of the station that was first envisioned in a previous study; and
WHEREAS, the Authority circulated a draft EIR for public comment, and the
document did not address the requirements of State law under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, the draft EIR document does not adequately address mitigation
in all applicable areas; and
WHEREAS, the Authority provided insufficient review time for the draft EIR
document; and
WHEREAS, the City requested additional review time for the draft EIR
document and received no response from the Authority; and
WHEREAS, the original draft EIR implies substantial negative impacts to East
Bakersfield, but does not provide detail or mitigation for said impacts; and
WHEREAS, the Authority provided only one complete draft EIR document
for public review in the entire 8,100 square mile County of Kern; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield has submitted over 100 pages of
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comments to the Authority regarding deficiencies in the draft EIR and the
Authority provided no response to those comments; and
WHEREAS, City staff relayed concerns with the Authority in person, via e-
mail and in phone conversations in recent years, but said concerns were not
adequately addressed; and
WHEREAS, numerous citizens of Bakersfield and Kern County have
addressed the City Council and other local legislative bodies and elected
officials with numerous and varied significant concerns regarding the Authority's
proposal.
WHEREAS, the State of California should not be borrowing money through
the sale of bonds until it can balance its budget without raiding the treasuries of
cities and counties.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council of the City of Bakersfield
as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct.
2. The City Council hereby confirms its complete and unwavering
opposition to the Authority's entire High Speed Rail project as it is
currently proposed.
3. That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the following:
a. Honorable President of the United States, Barak Obama;
b. Honorable Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood;
c. Honorable Congressman, 22nd District, Kevin McCarthy;
d. Honorable Congressman, 20th District, Jim Costa;
e. Honorable Governor of California, Jerry Brown;
f. California Secretary of State, Debra Bowen;
g. California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer;
h. California State Director of Finance Ana Matosantos;
i. California State Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing
Agency Traci Stevens (Acting)
j. Honorable California State Senator, 16th District, Michael Rubio;
k. Honorable California State Senator, 18th District, Jean Fuller;
1. Honorable California State Assemblymember, 30th District, David
Valadao;
m. Honorable California State Assemblymember, 32nd District,
Shannon Grove;
n. State Controller, John Chiang;
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o. State Director for the Office of United States Senator Barbara
Boxer, Tom Bohigian;
p. CEO, California High Speed Rail Authority, Roelof van Ark;
q. Board Members, California High Speed Rail Authority:
1) Chairperson, Thomas J. Umberg;
2) Vice Chairperson, Lynn Schenk;
3) Vice Chairperson, Thomas Richards;
4) Russ Burns;
5) Matthew Toledo;
6) Robert Balgenorth;
7) Jim Hartnett;
8) Dan Richard; and
9) Michael Rossi
r. Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,
John L. Mica; and
s. Republican and Democratic Members of the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.
4. That the City Council requests the State Legislators, Congressional
Delegation, and other officials being noticed with this Resolution
take appropriate actions to oppose the Authority's entire High
Speed Rail project as it is currently proposed.
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HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted
by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on
DEC 14 201) by the following vote:
40~ ES
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS, WEIR, COUCH, HANSON, SULLIVAN, JOHNSON
COUNCIL MEMBER 0 ~043a
COUNCIL MEMBER 'e-
COUNCIL MEMBER Qg2
ROBERTA GAFFORD,
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio Clerk of
the Council of the City of Bakersfield
APPROVED
By
DEC 14 2011
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
VIRGINIA GEN ARO
City Attorne
By
J j0SHUA'H. RUDNICK
Deputy City Attorney
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