CALIFORNIA: Not A Single High Speed Rail Track Has Been Laid…over $70 Billion in Taxpayer Funds Have Been Lost!

A 92-page report by the California State Auditor has found that over $70 billion in taxpayer funds have been lost, including $2.5 billion in SNAP fraud, $24 billion on fighting homelessness, and $18 billion for a high-speed rail where not a single track has been laid.

A California State Auditor report  heavily criticized poor tracking, waste, and lack of accountability for billions spent on homelessness, revealing systemic issues with oversight, while separate analyses point to massive cost overruns and delays on the High-Speed Rail project with minimal progress, confirming taxpayer money concerns, though specific fraud dollar amounts vary by report. 

Key Findings (Based on Verified Reports):

• Homelessness Spending: A 2024 State Auditor report found California spent billions on homelessness without tracking outcomes, leading to a lack of data on effectiveness, with significant waste and poor oversight at local levels.
• High-Speed Rail (HSR): The HSR project has faced massive budget increases and delays, with significant funds spent for little track laid, a consistent theme in audits and reports.
• SNAP Fraud: While specific figures vary, fraud in SNAP (food stamps) has been a recurring issue, with reports highlighting significant improper payments. 

Where the Numbers Might Come From:

• The $70 Billion: This figure likely aggregates issues across multiple reports and years, including HSR costs and homelessness spending.
• $2.5 Billion SNAP: This number appears in various contexts related to fraud investigations and improper payments.
• $24 Billion Homelessness: This reflects total spending over several years with little to show for it, as highlighted by auditors.

In Summary: The core of the statement reflects real audit findings about mismanagement and waste in California, but the consolidated dollar amounts likely combine findings from various official reports, not a single document with those exact totals.

AUTHOR

Pamela Geller

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EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.