Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Mayor Chuck Reed of San Jose and Mayor Ashley Swearengin of Fresno issued the following joint statement urging the California State Senate to support investment in the high-speed rail system in California:

“The State Senate has an important decision to make tomorrow. As Mayors of big cities up and down the proposed alignment, we urge the Legislature to approve the High Speed Rail Authority’s plan to begin construction on the biggest, most important infrastructure project in generations and to simultaneously fund a number of critical connectivity projects up and down the State.

By casting votes in favor of the high speed rail system, as envisioned, the Legislature will secure billions of dollars in federal funds for California, create tens of thousands of jobs and move our State’s transportation system squarely into the 21st Century. This is an important project for California, and we need to get started now.”