SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — Dozens of Shafter residents filled Veterans Hall Monday night to voice their opposition to a new proposal from the California High Speed Rail Authority that would route the rail line through the city center, potentially displacing businesses and costing the city millions in tax revenue.
The packed meeting required city staff to bring out additional chairs to accommodate the crowd as High Speed Rail Authority members presented their revised plan to the Shafter City Council.
"There should have been a better ethical way to get you guys from point A to point B, because if there was, this meeting would have never happened," one resident said, capturing the general sentiment in the room.
The rail authority's new proposal aims to shorten construction time, limit environmental impacts, and save costs compared to a 2018 settlement agreement with the city. The plan would build the rail through Shafter and construct over or underpasses for major crossings.
"What we want to try to do is, what we want to propose, is that we look at possible ways to minimize how we would come through the city of Shafter, minimize that construction time and minimize the impacts," Diana Gomez, HNTB Senior Project Director and Vice President, said.
However, residents, city staff, and council members argued the new proposal would unfairly impact the community. They expressed concern that HSR officials didn't adequately consider the effects on local residents and businesses.
Kamal Saida, the city's economic development director, said while official numbers aren't available, the new proposal could uproot dozens of businesses and potentially eliminate millions of dollars in annual tax revenue.
"We've got jobs that would be lost. Living wages will be affected. But what's also important is the future growth of the city," Saida said.
The council now faces three options: accept the new proposal, stick with the original 2018 agreement, or pursue a third alternative suggested by Mayor Chad Givens.
"I'm going to make a request that we would have a conversation with high-speed rail and be willing to renegotiate the settlement agreement, and can and find a way to move eastwardly, outside of the city limits, to not impact the residents and the businesses in a rural, disadvantaged community known as Shafter," Givens said prior to the council voting on the proposal from California High-Speed Rail Authority.
A High Speed Rail Authority spokesperson provided a statement following the meeting: "The City of Shafter rejected a proposal that would substantially reduce community impacts and traffic disruptions, shorten construction within city limits, and significantly lower costs. The Authority will continue to work with the city and evaluate options to responsibly deliver high-speed rail in a way that balances local interests with the needs of the entire state."
Givens said he hopes to see a new proposal soon and remains uncertain whether rail officials will engage in further negotiations.
"All we're asking them to do is move eastwardly, do it now instead of doing it through the city. So there are options. Are they willing to hear those options? Are they willing to have those conversations? I'm not 100% sure. We'll see in the next few weeks if they're going to come to the table and have those discussions with us," Givens said.
The dispute over high-speed rail routing in Shafter continues, with more developments expected in the coming weeks.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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