California mayors are raising new concerns over the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project, warning that a proposed funding approach could take money away from local governments.
A group of 10 mayors, led by Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, sent a letter to the California High-Speed Rail Authority criticizing a proposal discussed in the agency’s 2026 Draft Business Plan.
The mayors argue the plan could redirect future local tax growth near high-speed rail stations to help fund the project. They called the idea fiscally reckless, legally risky and unfair to communities expected to host rail facilities.
Dyer and the other mayors warned that the state should not solve a statewide funding problem by using local tax bases. They said such a move could weaken city budgets, destabilize public services and create a dangerous precedent for local governments across California.
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The high-speed rail project was approved by voters in 2008 with an estimated cost of about $33 billion. Since then, the price tag has grown dramatically after years of delays, planning changes and cost overruns.
The 2026 Draft Business Plan estimates that the full Phase 1 buildout could cost more than $200 billion, while a smaller optimized approach is estimated at about $126 billion.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority pushed back on the mayors’ claims, saying there is no finalized proposal to capture local revenues. A spokesperson said the agency is continuing discussions with local jurisdictions and stakeholders about possible tools to support station-area infrastructure and long-term system delivery.
Still, local leaders say they have been left in the dark. Dyer said mayors have not received enough information and have not been properly included in discussions about how the funding idea would work.
The mayors who signed the letter represent Fresno, Anaheim, Lancaster, Riverside, Bakersfield, Gilroy, Merced, Burbank, Hanford and Stockton.
President Donald Trump and other critics have repeatedly attacked California’s high-speed rail project as an example of government waste and mismanagement. Trump has mocked Gov. Gavin Newsom over the project’s delays and cost overruns.
Republican lawmakers in California have also criticized the rail project, arguing that billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent without delivering a completed system.
Rep. Vince Fong called the project a “slow-moving train wreck,” pointing to years of missed deadlines and rising costs.
Supporters of the project say high-speed rail remains an important long-term transportation investment for California and insist the system can still be completed.
High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri recently said the rail line will be finished “in our lifetime.”
The growing pushback from city leaders adds another challenge for California’s high-speed rail project as state officials search for ways to close major funding gaps and move the system forward.
A related post highlighted criticism over the soaring cost estimates for California’s high-speed rail project.
Is this $200+ billion dollar “high-speed” rail a policy failure? Of course.
But if the goal was simply to commandeer tax dollars for distribution to politically-connected constituencies then I’d imagine those with that goal are probably quite pleased. https://t.co/g6LhUdbck4
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) May 22, 2026
