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RES-10637 Supporting High Speed Rail Lemon LawRESOLUTION NO. 10637 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORANGE SUPPORTING AB 1455 HARKEY) HIGH SPEED RAIL LEMON LAW. WHEREAS, voters approved Proposition I in November 2008 providing for a 9.95 billion bond, of which $9 billion was approved to fund high speed rail from San Francisco to San Diego M California; and WHEREAS, the California High Speed Rail Authority ( CHSRA) business plan is not in keeping with what voters approved in 2008, nearly tripling the original cost, now estimated at $98.5 to $117 billion for construction costs for Phase I only ( San Francisco to Los Angeles- Anaheim) not including maintenance and operating costs; and WHEREAS, the CHSRA ridership, revenue and job estimates have been inflated in order to continue to move the project forward; and WHEREAS, the CHSRA has only $3.3 billion in federal funding awarded to construct high speed rail in the Central Valley with future funding sources unknown; and WHEREAS, the proposed CHSRA business plan has suffered criticism and legal challenges from many communities that oppose the proposed route and the state's use of the power of Eminent Domain to destroy prime agricultural land, neighborhoods and existing business centers; and WHEREAS, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) identified a number of serious deficiencies with the CHSRA business plan related to compliance with the voter approved bond, Proposition IA, funding, ridership, route, and overall viability of the project; and WHEREAS, the California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group recommend that the legislature not approve the appropriation of the voter approved bond proceeds for the project; and WHEREAS, the California State Auditor report released on January 24, 2012 states the high -speed rail network's overall financial situation has become "increasingly risky;" and WHEREAS, any existing rail monies would be better used on the extension and expansion of existing regional and commuter passenger rail systems, and their maintenance; and WHEREAS, AB 1455 would remove the remaining available balance of the $9 billion in state debt funding for the high speed rail project, while allowing for the $950 million segment allowed for local transportation to remain available for future funding. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orange does hereby support AB 1455. ADOPTED this 13" day of March 2012. L V.,gvecce, Mayor, City of Orange ATTEST: L- Mary u, City Clerk, C o Orange I, MARY E. MURPHY, City Clerk of the City of Orange, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of Orange at a regular meeting thereof held on the 13 day of March, 2012, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Whitaker, Smith, Cavecche, Bilodeau, Dumitru NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: None Mary E rp , City Cle Orange 2