Senator Dave Cortese’s High Speed Rail Bill To Advance Economic Opportunities Is Passed by the Senate Transportation Committee

SACRAMENTO – On an 11- to-1 vote, the California Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday passed SB 545, Senate Transportation chair Dave Cortese’s bill to advance major economic opportunities connected to the High Speed Rail Project.

Senate Bill 545 would commission a study on the extraordinary commercial and residential economic development opportunities along the California High Speed Rail corridor focusing on increased land value development incentives and public-private partnerships from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

“The bill sets the foundation for leveraging commercial and residential development along the High Speed Rail corridor to create jobs, attract businesses and generate new revenue streams that will help fund a lot of things,” Senator Cortese told committee members.

Below is the broadcast quality link to Senator Cortese’s remarks to the Senate Transportation Committee:

Senator Cortese on High Speed Rail Economic Benefits

Ground was originally broken on the High Speed Rail project in Fresno in 2015. Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer is a longtime supporter.

“I strongly believe in two things – that Downtown Fresno is on the cusp of a major economic revival, and that if the state’s High Speed Rail project becomes a reality, that revival will be even better and stronger.  That’s why I support Senate Bill 545, which would study the economic opportunities along the high-speed route. I believe it will show positive benefits in the cities where stations will be built.  I want to thank Senator Cortese for proposing this bill, which will prove what I think we all already know intrinsically – high-speed rail is not only good for air quality, but it has the potential to be an economic driver,” said Jerry Dyer, Mayor of Fresno.

For the most up-to-date fact sheet on the project click on this link: factsheet.

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