Pringle to Jindal: Let’s talk

February 26th, 2009, 4:07 pm · 12 Comments · posted by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle thinks Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal might have more serious stuff to talk about in criticizing the president’s stimulus package than to rag on Disneyland.

Pringle put a call into Jindal to talk to the Louisiana governor about his picking on the proposed Maglev line from Disneyland to Las Vegas. For those who haven’t heard about it, Jindal used the $8 billion included in the stimulus package for what he said was a ‘magnetic levitation’ line from Las Vegas to Disneyland”high as a way to pan the bill.

But alas, Pringle couldn’t get him. Right after giving the GOP rebuttal to PresidentBarack Obama’sspeech Tuesday night, Jindal went to Disney World. So says Huffington Post.

I spent a little time today with hizzoner and OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa who are in town to talk to federal officials and lawmakers about this project - and other transportation needs - that Jindal made fun of.

Pringle had the figures - some 23 millon people come to Anaheim every year and is there really any question that Disneyland is a major destination for many Americans? And he’s not going to apologize for trying to get federal money to help that project and the high-speed rail from Anaheim to San Francisco.

Buffa was more snarky than Pringle - after all he doesn’t run for office. Buffa said clearly Jindal was campaigning for president and maybe he should wait a while.

Truth is, that $8 billion in the stimulus for high speed and said the $1 billion more a yer Obama put in his budget will be doled out competitively. Now since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, of Nevada, is very interested in the Vegas to Disneyland line it’s a good bet it will get some money.

But why pick on Mickey, Bobby?

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Marcus says:

February 26, 2009 at 4:59 pm

Sure, build a Mag Lev train; but why does it have to be federally funded? Why does the entire country have to pay for a train that only has serves two cities? What exactly is the purpose of a Republic if everyone wants everything funded by the Federal government?

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Damon says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Marcus,

It’s called interstate commerce. The federal government handles that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce_clause

By the way, if any of that $8 billion goes to the Vegas train or any other high speed rail projects, it will only be a portion of the funding. The rest will come from state and local governments.

Jackie1955 says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:10 pm

We need this Train and we need everyone in the United States to see pictures of the traffic jams to Vegas and to hear how jobs and travel will increase. This is good. Write letters to Cnn or Fox, Congress, newspapers everywhere. I keep getting letters from ROG Steele and I clicked ‘Reply’ and told his office WE NEED THIS TRAIN.

uncle bill says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:14 pm

Damon

You’re correct - its only a portion of the funding. That means CA taxpayers will have to fund the majority of remaning amount - which of course will be way over budget (not sure if LV taxpayers will have to pay). So in addition to more federal taxes we’re going to have more state taxes…. or should I say only the people that make a decent living will have to pay more taxes…. for a high speed train… from vegas to disneyland….

Jimijay says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:17 pm

Last time I went to Vegas I saw bigger and better hotels and attractions. With all of the money they continue to take from us visitors explain to me why they (Las Vegas) are not paying for the entire project? Apparently the State of Nevada has so much money coming in from the casinos that they do have have a state income tax. Why let the taxpayers pay for something that will benefit Las Vegas? Imagine if California did not have state income tax………keep imagining.

Ready4U says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm

No on the tourism speed train! Use some of the money to add a third lane in each direction on I-15 and that is it. What a scam by the great NV democrat.

David says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:46 pm

Mayor Pringle should listen to the owner of the Anaheim Angels, Anaheim is not a tousist destiination. Los Angels is the tourist destination. Why worry about the train when people are fleeing California to avoid the tax and spend government.

tom says:

February 26, 2009 at 5:53 pm

This is as useless as Alaska’s bridge to nowhere. First, Amtrak had a route to Vegas and they shut it down because no one used it. Second, cost projections show that without subsidies it will actually be cheaper for people to fly from here to Vegas. And finally, they think there will be synergy between Disney tourists and Vegas tourists. Disney tried tying in packages to Vegas years ago and it was a complete flop, totally different market. Come on Mayor, if you desparately want your name on something then build a school or a new police station.

brad says:

February 26, 2009 at 8:45 pm

Great Idea!!! Ive been saying this for the longest time coming from Europe and being on their high speed trains. About the Amtrack comment the problem was that it was Amtrack and it took forever to get to Vegas. With a high speed rail it will be faster then driving and less of a hassle then flying. Not only that but it will create work

Martha says:

February 27, 2009 at 10:35 am

I would use this train. Driving to Vegas is a complete waste of time, it’s dangerous, and sharing the road with the trucks is frustrating. Then you have the jerks in their monster SUVs driving like they are in a sports car. I will never drive to Vegas again but I would love to go. I hate to fly so I won’t.

zppo1 says:

February 28, 2009 at 12:42 am

did anyone hear bout how he lied and made up the story about him and the sheriff and how he directed the rescue for the victims of katrina, he was no where near there.

Dan Staskel says:

March 2, 2009 at 9:20 am

Deena…

Could you at least pretend to be a little more unbiased?! Why not take the angle that this is SUPPOSED to be a STIMULUS bill… interjecting federal $’s into the economy NOW to stimulate growth and spending. When will we realize the benefit of the spending $’s that either high speed train would generate?! This whole topic requeires a paradigm shift. Why are we including these high speed lines in an economic stimulus bill designed, in theory only, to stimulate the eocnomy NOW??! Deena, you are an idiot.

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