Senate To Vote On High Speed Rail

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The light rail train has been in Sacramento since 1987, but Gov. Jerry Brown is looking to the future by pushing the high speed rail.

But, will the high speed rail, derail, his other priority, the tax initiative?

The democrats have been the engineers pushing the European model of high speed rail here in California.

It would get you from Sacramento to Los Angeles in 2 hours and 17 minutes.

"This is looking towards the future," said Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D –Sacramento).

But republicans say their rivals have tunnel vision and want to block the project.

"Look at the foreclosure crisis we have in California and in the Central Valley, and mom and dad need a job, and yet, we're spending money on a bullet train. It's crazy," said Assemblyman Bill Berryhill (R-Ripon).

And one recent estimate shows the whole project could cost taxpayers $200 billion.

According to numbers from California Common Sense, a non-partisan group, one mile of high speed rail would cost $254 million.

That means three steps would cost about $350,000, and one inch of high speed rail, $4,000.

Now the legislature is voting on spending around six billion dollars to break ground on the project that's seen cost estimates go up the past few years.

"That's a problem, and that should be concerning to everybody," said Berryhill.

But democrats aren't worried, arguing the high speed rail will act as a conductor attracting jobs and improving the economy despite the poll showing voters may be less likely to vote for the governor's tax increases if the rail package passes.

"I'm aware of the poll results today but polls are a snapshot in time and by the time we get to November the focus will be on the governor's tax package," said Dickinson.