State Auditor: Rail Plan "Increasingly Risky"

California’s high-speed rail project faced another set back Tuesday when the State Auditor’s office released a new audit of the project’s latest business plan.

The report questions the funding of high-speed rail, noting its reliance on federal funds without solid plans for securing money and uncertain costs and revenues, as well as unreliable ridership projections and insufficient project oversight.

As , the project is now estimated to cost up to $117.6 billion, yet high-speed rail officials lack alternative plans if the money can’t be raised.

The report from the Auditor’s office echoes a . Members have long been against the high-speed rail project as currently planned, questioning environmental reports, business plans and ridership studies released by the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the jump in estimated cost from $36 billion when the rail was approved in 2008.

Council members discussed again bringing a ballot measure on high-speed rail before California voters.

“Until we just say stop this, we're going to continue to have this cloud over our heads,” said Councilmember Cathy Baylock at the time. “I’m still skeptical that the Governor will do anything about it, and I feel really strongly it's time for us to just say 'This is not what we signed up for.'”

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