I've been commuting between Los Angeles and San Francisco for work for 20 years now.

Twenty years ago, LA and San Francisco were truly vibrant cities filled with global energy and romance, the best dream cities in America.

But these days, looking at the state of both cities makes me more than just sigh; it makes me furious. It's clear that these great cities are deteriorating, and why is the California state government so incompetent and lacking in solutions?

Just look at the news today about the cancellation of $4 billion in federal funding due to delays in purchasing the CA high-speed train. It perfectly highlights the government's glaring incompetence.

This high-speed rail project started with a public vote in 2008, promising to connect LA and SF in just three hours.

Now, it's already 2026, and what has actually progressed?

How long must we endure the primitive transportation network that takes 10 and a half hours to travel from LA to SF?

With construction delays and skyrocketing costs, instead of a direct route from LA to SF, the project has been drastically scaled back to a 171-mile segment connecting Merced and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.

That area isn't mountainous; it's just flat land, so no tunnel construction is needed, yet that segment has been dragging on for years.

Even more outrageous is Governor Gavin Newsom's attitude. When the federal government cut the $4 billion funding, he blamed it on "political revenge."

But when you look at the reality, it's truly absurd. They haven't even made a decision on the most basic and essential contract to select a vendor for the electric train that will run at 220 miles per hour, and the deadline has passed by over a year and a half. When I asked when the contract would be signed, the state rail authority's response was 'undecided.'

Because they failed to meet deadlines, the funding was lost due to unmet contract conditions, and now they're framing it politically, making residents' blood pressure rise.

If it were just the high-speed rail, I wouldn't be so upset. The administrative power of California that I've witnessed over the past 20 years is a complete disaster, the epitome of incompetence.

First, there's the ridiculous administrative incompetence and 'waste of taxpayer money.' California has some of the highest taxes in the nation.

Income tax, gas prices, sales tax—all rank at the top nationwide, yet where does all that hard-earned tax money go? They can't even properly push forward a national project like high-speed rail, constantly delaying schedules and exceeding budgets. They pour money in, but the results are nearly zero.

Second, there's the uncontrollable crime and homelessness problem. If you visit downtown LA or the Mid-Market area of San Francisco, you can't tell if you're in a developed country or the Third World.

Now, the Korean Town business district is dying, with even major retailers like Starbucks fleeing in the night, and the streets are filled with fentanyl addicts and homeless encampments. Even when crimes are committed, there's hardly any proper punishment, leading to rampant petty theft and robbery. The citizens' right to safety has been completely shattered.

Third, there's unrealistic bureaucratic administration and empty ideological politics. Politicians ignore the realities on the ground and economic logic, shouting only about flashy green policies and idealistic causes. Meanwhile, they can't even address the transportation, housing, cost of living, and safety issues that residents feel every day, while they bask in their self-satisfied delusion of being the most progressive and advanced.

Watching the state of California, which has the best resources and talent, slowly deteriorate due to such a flimsy and incompetent administrative system fills me with deep disillusionment every day.

They promise a rosy future with their words, but the reality is that they can't even meet the contract date for purchasing trains, wasting $4 billion—that's the true face of the California state government.

As a 20-year resident of LA, I feel bitter and frustrated wondering how long these precious cities, which have been my workplace and home, will continue to suffer under such incompetent leadership. The state government needs to stop blaming others and get its act together, starting with the basics.