Foolish cut to Amtrak

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Foolish cut to Amtrak

Sunday, September 25, 2005

In cutting Michigan's support for Amtrak, the Legislature's Republicans have put a needless blotch on what otherwise has been a good piece of work in writing the new state budget.

The Amtrak cut -- part of a $3.4 billion transportation budget just sent to Gov. Granholm -- drops the annual subsidy from $7.1 million to $6.1 million. The cut comes with a carrot. Lawmakers voted to restore the $1 million if Amtrak moves a big maintenance facility from Indiana to Michigan. That's nothing but a strong-arm tactic, naive at that. The railroad says it won't work and that it jeopardizes continued Amtrak service.

Also involved apparently is pique at the fact that many Michigan travelers use Amtrak as a Chicago connection. The attitude most notably is held by Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-suburban Detroit and chair of the panel overseeing the Amtrak funding. Unfortunately, nearly all other Senate Republicans joined her in supporting the

$1 million cut in the subsidy for two Amtrak lines. The lone

GOP exceptions in a key vote were from Portage and Algonac, cities located along Amtrak's Chicago-to-Port Huron route.

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[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Where have legislators from Grand Rapids and Holland been through all of this -- in Lansing's sleeper car? The effort put into the Pere Marquette West State communities deserves support from local legislators. The train is on an upward curve, with ridership up by 9 percent this year, 20 percent in 2004. Holland's Padnos Transportation Center is a fine example of community commitment.

 

[Randy Henderson]

I'm sorry to hear that Michigan is debating their Amtrak funding. This is ammunition for the arguement against the Bush Administration's plan to shed an "interstate federal operation" to the states. Last I checked, interstate commerce is, and continues to be, a federal responsibility. It's ironic that when the federal government wants to do something over and beyond state's rights, they claim jurisdiction in the name of "interstate commerce." When it comes to passenger rail, we have to deal with a "loose confederation of states" having to beg, borrow and steal to fund passenger rail. I wish to send my support to the people of Michigan, as well as the remaining citizens of the 50 United States, who ride into and through the Wolverine State. What can non-Michigan citizens do that really aids in this very important "national" issue being debated in Lansing? I've sent out a few posts in the last few weeks that have been very depressing about the future, however, we are living in dangerous times for the growth and enhancement of passenger rail in the coming years. We must always remember that without grass root efforts by Michigan and other state rail advocacy groups, the Amtrak that we know now would have been gone years ago. Passenger rail is both a state and federal fight in these tough times! I just wanted to send out a positive note to thank all of you who strive to build a better passenger railroad network.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

It's not an easy job to run 2 groups in 2 diffrent states MI takes %95 of my time and i only have a few Hours a day to devote to the groups since my work takes up so much time.