The radio spot is narrated by political satirist Will Durst who reminds Californians about the importance of having vision, creating jobs and building “something momentous for our future generation.”

“The high-speed rail project is one of those transformative projects that will have as much of an impact on California and its economy as the railroads and the State Water Project,” said Executive Director Jim Earp. “It will produce thousands of jobs, boost the economy, provide a greener and faster mode of transportation and will help California meet its growing transportation needs.”

The radio advertisement is running several times a day on 15 stations in Sacramento and the Bay Area and is expected to reach 2.6 million people by Sunday.  To listen to the radio spot, click here. A full transcript of the radio spot can be viewed here.

About California Alliance for Jobs

The Alliance is a non-profit organization that promotes responsible investment in public infrastructure to help build a secure future for all Californians.  For more information on the Alliance, visit www.rebuildca.org.

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“The auditor brings up valid issues. We believe that with the changes Governor Brown has implemented at the High-Speed Rail Authority, he has already set the wheels in motion to address many of the issues raised by this audit.

Nothing in this report or any of the other criticisms raised so far remove the viability of high-speed rail in California.

The benefits of high-speed rail are clear. It will help move our population in the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way. It will connect our economic centers, creating economic growth between regions that doesn’t exist today. High-speed rail will generate tens of thousands of jobs immediately, bring paychecks to many who are currently unemployed and will relieve our congested roadways.

High-speed rail must be part of our state’s vision. Our focus now should be on the best way to accomplish this critical transportation project.”

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The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000 union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

“We applaud Governor Brown’s vision for California’s future and the leadership he is demonstrating in getting us there. The Governor understands well the vital link between the Golden State’s prosperity and bold, innovative transportation and water infrastructure projects.

“Now more than ever we need to get real about the challenges facing California and support smart solutions that will create jobs, strengthen our economy and improve our quality of life. High-speed rail is one such solution. The Governor’s focus on building high-speed rail better and faster will create thousands of much needed jobs, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, and provide vital connectivity throughout the state.

“We cannot afford to let shortsightedness or politics dictate our future.  Forward-thinking projects like high-speed rail offer tremendous environmental, economic and transportation benefits that are well worth the investment, not only now but for future generations.

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The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000 union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

“The nomination of Dan Richard as the new chairman of the High Speed Rail Authority is another strong signal that the Brown Administration is rebooting the effort to build high speed rail in California better, faster and cheaper. Dan Richard has the experience and know-how to make this job-creating project happen, and will provide the leadership needed to help the Authority navigate what is clearly a challenging path.”

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The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000 union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

“Constructive, unbiased analysis of the High Speed Rail project from knowledgeable peers is not only important, but essential to ultimately delivering a state-of-the-art rail system to Californians.

“The Peer Review Panel report is generous in itemizing what it views as shortcomings in the High Speed Rail Authority’s newly revised business plan. By contrast, it is miserly in offering viable recommendations to address those shortcomings.

“If we accept the panel’s recommendations that the Legislature should take a ‘time out’ before appropriating any more money to the project and that ultimately the money should go first to the urban areas, then we must accept the reality that California will lose billions in federal funding for the project.

“The California Alliance for Jobs continues to believe high speed rail is the most cost-effective, environmentally responsible way to address our state’s future mobility needs. This is the time to critically examine every aspect of the project in order to make it better.”

The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000 union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

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“At a time when construction unemployment in California is higher than 20%, building high speed rail will, without question, create much-needed jobs throughout the state.

“In the construction industry, because no construction job is permanent, it is standard to calculate jobs using “job years.” It is also unwieldy to use such a technical term and common to simply make reference to “jobs.”

“Criticisms about whether the jobs projections for the high speed rail project are inflated, because some references to “jobs” should instead have been expressed as ‘job years’ have led me to conclude there are too many over-fed, under-worked armchair economists who have nothing better to do than debate statistical theories while real people continue to search for real jobs.

“I have spoken with too many construction workers who have sat on the out-of-work list for not months, but years, some who have lost their homes and even their families, because of the stress of being unemployed for so long. They would jump at the chance to work for a few months, let alone a year or more on the high speed rail project.

“The high-speed rail project promises to bring a paycheck to literally thousands of out of work construction workers who have lost their jobs in these tough economic times.

“From carpenters to engineers, laborers to truck drivers, warehouse workers to metal workers, electricians to plumbers, and restaurants, retail and lodging, building and supporting a 500+ mile rail system will put people in many vocations to work.

“But high speed rail also means more than jobs. It is about creating a more efficient way to move people and freeing up roadways to improve movement of goods, making California more globally competitive. It’s about improving our air quality. And it’s about improving the mobility of our growing population in the most cost-effective manner.

“Already, car travel on California’s interstate system is increasing five times faster than capacity. To meet the same level of capacity without high speed rail, California would need to add 2,300 miles of new freeway lanes, 115 new airport gates and four new runways at a much higher cost than high speed rail.

“High speed rail makes sense no matter how you look at it.”
The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000 union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

“Today’s vote to zero out funding for high speed rail is disappointing. High speed rail is smart fiscal policy and uses federal dollars wisely to meet the infrastructure needs of our nation, create jobs and provide an economic boost.

 “Smart policy should be the yardstick by which funding for high speed rail is measured, nothing else. In California, the plan to build a high speed train running from San Francisco to Los Angeles meets that test.

 “High speed rail is the most cost-effective way to accommodate our state’s growing population. It will create jobs, give our economy a boost, improve air quality and relieve traffic congestion.

 “To meet the same level of capacity without high speed rail, California would need to add 2,300 miles of new freeway lanes, 115 new airport gates and four new runways at a cost of $170 billion, nearly double the cost of high speed rail.

 “And building high speed rail in California will create more than a million jobs, including more than 600,000 construction jobs over the life of the project. California currently has the second highest rate of unemployment in the nation. High speed rail will create much-needed jobsthat will boost our state’s economy at a time when we desperately need it.

 “Thankfully, this is not the end of the process and I’m hopeful that as the spending plan moves forward, sensible heads will prevail and the benefits of California’s highs speed rail plan will not be ignored.”

The California Alliance for Jobs represents more than 2,000 heavy construction companies and 80,000union construction workers from Kern County to the Oregon border. The Alliance advocates responsible investment in public infrastructure projects to help build a secure future for all Californians.

The plan has been described as “solid” by Governor Brown and hailed by State Treasurer Bill Lockyer as an honest “new approach that deserves praise.”

Following the High Speed Rail Authority’s release of the business plan, Mayors Anthonio Villaraigosa, Ed Lee, and Chuck Reed joined Jim Earp, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs and Maureen Hayes , Chair of the High Speed Rail Task Force, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, to provide reaction to the updated business plan.

“I want to commend the Governor for his role in putting new people on the High Speed Rail Authority who looked at this project with a critical eye and put together an honest assessment of California’s high speed rail system,” said Executive Director Jim Earp, California Alliance for Jobs. “Our forefathers had the vision and wisdom to invest in our infrastructures at critical points in our state and nation’s history. The high speed rail system is no different.”

“When you consider California’s future mobility needs, it becomes clear that we simply cannot move the people and goods that our population will soon demand without forward-thinking transportation options like high speed rail,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “Going forward, we should closely examine linking commuter and inter-city rail as we develop a robust high speed rail network. And as we press ahead, ensuring that the project makes financial and technical sense is crucial.”

Read what others leaders are saying about high speed rail.