. $5 billion awarded for the first segment to connect madeira, population 56,000 to bakersfield, population 388,000, basically in the california desert. estimated costs have grown from $33 billion in '07 to as much as $100 billion as estimated by the state review board. and the ridership numbers, according to the review board, to justify the projects, were overblown and costs alternative to the line were wildly exaggerated to make the line look better. i know it sounds good to have a nationwide high-speed rail project, but at this point in history, we don't have the money and we don't have the possibility of anything close to paying for that plan. i just would say to you that i think that's the reality you'll face in congress. but we do i understand that there are traffic jams in cities. some cities can use mass transit. some cities could use improvements to their interstates. most of them could use high-speed interstate improvements throughout. i'll give you a chance to respond to that. thank you for your commitment to the program. we should have a person in this office that's committed to

and yet the estimated cost for the program, which would be the line, as i understand it, to connect madeira to bakersfield, cost from $33 million when it was put before the voters in california in 2007 to at least $100 million in 2012. so therefore the cost of building it have tripled three times of what it was estimated when this issue was put to the voters of california. and i would just point out that there's serious questions that have been raised by california by independent individuals who have looked at it, including the state auditor who said the california bullet train project has become increasingly risky because of fiscal issues with it, even the first phase they are concerned about it. and with respect to california, the california high-speed rail peer review group, an expert body mandated by state law, not a federal group expressed serious doubts about it and concluded it could not at this time recommend that the california legislature approve appropriation for the bonds of it because the project, quote, represents an immense financial risk. why would we designate additional fe

that will be held at madeira elementary school.ents have complained about a spike in burglaries and other crimes in recent months. >> tori: it is 8:36. wild par rots of telegraph hill are apparently on the move. according to the san francisco chronicle, some of the birds have fled the big city for the suburbs. reports say about 100 of the par rots are now on san bruno mountain in brisbane. residents there say they spotted the parrots about three years ago but there are still about 100 or so birds around the northern edge of san francisco. >>> the east contra costa fire protection district beard has decided to put a 10-year limit on the parcel tax it is asking voters to approve. the board had wanted a $197 parcel tax to continue indefinitely but feedback from the public made it clear they wanted a limit. the tax would apply to all parcels in the district which includes brentwood, oakley, discovery bay, byron, night son, bethel island and morgan territory. if passed, it will allow the district to avoid laying off half of the firefigh