California "Transportation Innovation" Initiative (2014)

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

A California "Transportation Innovation" Initiative (#14-0001) was approved for circulation in California as a contender for the November 4, 2014, ballot as an initiated state statute.

Supporters of the initiative referred to it as "The Transportation Innovation Act."

Text of measure

Ballot title:

High-Speed Rail. Future Bond Sales. New Transportation Technologies. Initiative Statute.

Official summary:

"Prevents sale of high-speed rail bonds previously approved by voters for construction of a high-speed rail system, except to fund any segment already under construction. Permits construction of first segment of the high-speed rail system to proceed, if Legislature consents, to allow comparison with other transportation technologies that deliver speeds exceeding 250 miles per hour or energy efficiencies exceeding 120 miles per gallon or equivalent. Authorizes state to acquire/dedicate right-of-way and contract with private developers to construct and operate new transportation technology pilot projects for comparison with high-speed rail."

Fiscal impact statement:

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is jointly prepared by the state's legislative analyst and its director of finance.

"Impact to state debt-service savings ranging from zero to about $650 million annually from not using state bond funds to construct high-speed rail, depending on how this measure is interpreted and the resulting reduction in bond funds spent. Potential state costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars to the extent that the state is not reimbursed by private developers for right-of-way acquisition for the development of transportation pilot projects. Potential reduction in state and local tax revenues of tens of millions of dollars annually for a few years, resulting from a loss of federal matching funds."

Support

Nick Garzilli, who requested a title and summary for Initiative #140001, is the Chief Operating Officer of Evacuated Tube Transport Technology (ET3). ET3 is a firm researching and developing maglev trains within vacuum-selaed tubes. This is similar to Elon Musk’s “Hyperloop,” which was unveiled in August 2013.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

• Nick Garzilli submitted a letter requesting a title and summary on January 2, 2014.
• A title and summary were issued by California's attorney general's office on February 25, 2014.
• 504,760 valid signatures were required for qualification purposes.
• Supporters had until July 24, 2014, to collect and submit the required number of signatures, as petition circulators are given 150 days to circulate petitions.
• The Secretary of State’s suggested signature filing deadline for the November 4, 2014, ballot was April 18, 2014. This means that if supporters had submitted enough valid signatures by July 24 but after April 18, the measure could have been pushed back as far as the next statewide general election, in November 2016.

External links

Suggest a link

• Letter requesting a ballot title for Initiative 14-0001