Ian Choudri resigned as chief executive of the California High-Speed Rail Authority on Wednesday, effective immediately.
Residents in Vernon and nearby cities protested, warning the rail could eliminate 1,200 jobs and worsen environmental risks.
Sen. Tony Strickland urged ending the rail, saying funds should aid Californians with gas taxes.
Board member Henry Perea confirmed the resignation and named Finance director Joe Stephenshaw interim president.
Center
Fiscal Oversight Emphasis
Ian Choudri resigned as CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority on Wednesday, effective immediately.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said appointing finance director Joe Stephenshaw as interim CEO shows the state’s commitment to protecting taxpayers and ensuring transparency.
The Bakersfield-to-Merced segment now costs $36 billion and is projected to finish in 2033.
The board approved a $772.1 million Siemens contract to design, build and test trainsets for 2030.
Right
Unallowable Travel Expenditure
Ian Choudri resigned as CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority on Wednesday, effective immediately.
The board said his departure stemmed from personal and family priorities, not the expense audit.
The inspector-general audit uncovered nearly $593,000 in unallowable consultant travel, including first-class flights and bar trips.
The new business plan projects total costs of $126-$231 billion after a $4 billion federal cut under President Donald Trump.
Blindspot
Community members in Vernon and nearby cities publicly opposed the high-speed rail project, warning that it could eliminate about 1,200 jobs and increase environmental risks.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning and Right-leaning coverage.
History
California voters approved Proposition 1A in November 2008, authorizing a $9.95 billion bond for the California High-Speed Rail Authority to begin the San Francisco-Los Angeles core segment. Earlier attempts in 2004 and 2006 were delayed after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger excluded funding from his $222.6 billion public-works bond. Decades of cost overruns and local opposition, exemplified by protests in Fresno and Sacramento, frame today’s leadership resignation.
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Rail Threatens Jobs
Ian Choudri resigned as chief executive of the California High-Speed Rail Authority on Wednesday, effective immediately.
Residents in Vernon and nearby cities protested, warning the rail could eliminate 1,200 jobs and worsen environmental risks.
Sen. Tony Strickland urged ending the rail, saying funds should aid Californians with gas taxes.
Board member Henry Perea confirmed the resignation and named Finance director Joe Stephenshaw interim president.
