CALPIRG Blog

The Department of Finance released new population estimates yesterday that predicted California's population, currently at just over 37 million people, would grow to 60 million people by 2050. Read the articles in the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union Tribune, and the Sacramento Bee. View the data from the Department of Finance.

These population predictions make an even stronger case for increased investment in both local public transit systems, as well as the proposed high speed rail. Unfortunately, cuts to public transit funding in the state budget have become an annual event, and the Governor has yet to endorse public funding for high speed rail. CALPIRG will continue to work in the coming year to make sure that future budgets give public transit systems the funding they need to improve and expand services. Otherwise, 60 million Californians = hair-pulling gridlock with no way out.