Passenger Trains > Rod Diridon Sr. Not Reappointed to CA HSR Board

From the San Jose Mercury News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_16984397

There may be some regime change going on. Quote from the article:

On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reappointed former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle to the rail authority's board. Schwarzenegger also named Fresno real estate developer Thomas Richards and Los Angeles publisher Matthew Toledo to the board, which is overseeing the development of the $43 billion rail system from Anaheim to San Francisco.

and

Schwarzenegger, he said, "wanted people with very strong business backgrounds" on the board as the project moves from planning to construction. But Diridon, who had also served as chairman of the rail authority board, said he felt his background in both government and private business "is pretty strong."

Medhi Morshed, who already retired, and Rod Diridon were probably the closest things to "Train Cult" members on the HSR board, IMHO. I won't forget how the Governator touted his own "strong business backgrounds" to get elected. I'm not optimistic about these appointments, but we shall see.

cchan006 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From the San Jose Mercury News:
>
> http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_16984397
>
> There may be some regime change going on. Quote
> from the article:
>
> On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
> reappointed former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle to
> the rail authority's board. Schwarzenegger also
> named Fresno real estate developer Thomas Richards
> and Los Angeles publisher Matthew Toledo to the
> board, which is overseeing the development of the
> $43 billion rail system from Anaheim to San
> Francisco.
>
> and
>
> Schwarzenegger, he said, "wanted people with very
> strong business backgrounds" on the board as the
> project moves from planning to construction. But
> Diridon, who had also served as chairman of the
> rail authority board, said he felt his background
> in both government and private business "is pretty
> strong."
>
> Medhi Morshed, who already retired, and Rod
> Diridon were probably the closest things to "Train
> Cult" members on the HSR board, IMHO. I won't
> forget how the Governator touted his own "strong
> business backgrounds" to get elected. I'm not
> optimistic about these appointments, but we shall
> see.


I Argee. Wasn't Richard Katz one of the appointees as well?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

From the article: "He is the executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute..."

Simply remembering Secretary Mineta's logical, stellar, comprehensive support of Amtrak and passenger rail would be enough for me to wish anyone associated with him gone...

GP25 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I Argee. Wasn't Richard Katz one of the appointees
> as well?

Richard Katz resigned a month ago to avoid a potential conflict-of-interest situation. I think he's still a board member for Los Angeles MTA and Metrolink.

Diridon has his critics (myself included, regarding the VTA Light Rail) but his "train cult" accomplishments preceded his appointment to the Mineta Transportation Insititute, so I don't think he's influenced by the airline lobby like Mineta was.

Diridon and Mineta both actively promoted local public transit when they held public office in Santa Clara County/San Jose respectively. Mineta continued to be supportive of public transportation while serving in congress. I have always had the feeling that when he (Mineta) was chosen by President Bush to be Transportation Secretary, the feeling was that it was a "safe" cabinet post to put a token Democrat, and nobody, certainly not Mineta, had any notion about what was about to happen to the transportation system in September, 2001. Of all of the cabinet secretaries to be put on the spot, the last one the administration probably wanted was the token Democrat. Mineta, while relatively popular, was never a dynamic leader, either as a city council member or mayor in San Jose. He was popular enough to get elected to congress. The instant I saw Mineta on TV after the attacks, it seemed clear (to me anyway) that he had the "deer in the headlights" look. I would also make the point that Mineta, as Transportation Secretary, had the job of implementing the administration's agenda. It's not like a cabinet secretary is free to act unilaterally.

Diridon Sr. has a long history of support for public transportation in California. There is a reason why the Cahill station in San Jose is now called Diridon Station (the same can be said in the case of the Mineta San Jose International Airport). A lot of people do not like him, but many have admired his dedication to the issue of public transportation. He has been wrong on some specifics (such as some of the VTA light rail routes, etc.), but I don't think his long term goals are wrong at all.

"Diridon Sr. has a long history of support for public transportation in California."

Raised in Dunsmuir on clean water and railroading, still has family up there.
He worked in train and engine service with SP as a youngster.

sphogger

Yes. he is still on the LA MTA Board. And on Metrolink's Board.

And At the last MTA Board Meeting. He was a target of a couple of
the gabflys at the meeting



cchan006 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GP25 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I Argee. Wasn't Richard Katz one of the
> appointees
> > as well?
>
> Richard Katz resigned a month ago to avoid a
> potential conflict-of-interest situation. I think
> he's still a board member for Los Angeles MTA and
> Metrolink.
>
> Diridon has his critics (myself included,
> regarding the VTA Light Rail) but his "train cult"
> accomplishments preceded his appointment to the
> Mineta Transportation Insititute, so I don't think
> he's influenced by the airline lobby like Mineta
> was.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival