Letter: High-speed rail eminent domain takings

The High Speed Rail Authority’s (HSRA) first "environmental impact report” (EIR) was declared "illegal” by a neutral Sacramento County Superior Court judge. Had Menlo Park/Atherton not sued HSRA over their EIR, the 250 mph trains would be destined to come through Peninsula cities. The judge declared the EIR "illegal” because HSRA knew they didn’t have railroad "right of ways” that they represented they had, and therefore intentionally misrepresented the amount of resident’s property and businesses needed to be "taken” through government eminent domain.

Eminent domain is where "the government” decides to take your personal property, or close your business, despite your protests, because "government” has decided that it is in the best interest of the overall public. So, drop your lattes now, and imagine the HSRA taking San Mateo, Burlingame, Millbrae, Belmont, etc. private property (houses) and closing businesses 100-feet on either side of the existing Caltrain railroad tracks. Now, also picture 30-foot-high retaining walls on each side of that 100-foot "eminent domain” stretch of land, because those will be required to somewhat mitigate the sound from 250 mph trains coming through your city (cities).

If you don’t like this picture, and how it will divide your city in half, and necessary sound and traffic issues, then call Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, at (650) 349-1900 or (916) 319-2019 or state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, at (650) 340-8840 or (916) 651-4008 or San Mateo City Council at (650) 522-7049 to demand they stop this "train to nowhere” and public trough boondoggle.

Mike Brown

San Mateo