OUR VIEW: Don't stop working toward landing facility
The Kern County Board of Supervisors' Tuesday vote of no confidence in California high-speed rail was premature. So, too, is the board's seeming resignation to the likelihood that the system's highly sought-after maintenance facility won't be awarded to Kern.
Supervisors voted 3-2 to oppose high-speed rail in its current form, even though a final draft of the system's business plan -- incorporating some of the concerns voiced by the supervisors themselves -- is in the works and due in a matter of weeks. As Supervisor Ray Watson said by way of dissenting opinion, "If we vote today, what does that mean?"
Supervisor Mike Maggard warned that there's no hope the maintenance facility will be built in Kern County, despite the fact this is the ideal place for it. Maggard, who has worked hard to land the facility here, perhaps can see the writing on the wall. But construction of the facility is still years away, and plenty can happen in the interim.
In the meantime, local political support can make a difference. High-speed rail spokesman Lance Simmens said as much in a meeting with The Californian this week, noting that some valley leaders have done their regions a great service by being strong advocates for the project. The name of Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, who has endorsed the rail project in no uncertain terms, immediately leaps to mind. Keeping all options open would do local leaders no harm.
