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From The Newark Advocate:
Ohio Senate OKs rail plan; GOP still skeptical
Republicans who control the Ohio Senate will allow the state to pursue $250 million in federal stimulus funding for passenger rail service between major cities. But they want the full Legislature to approve any construction if Ohio gets the money. The Senate Highways and Transportation Committee made the stipulation Tuesday in the two-year transportation budget.
Senate Panel To Let Ohio Seek Rail Passenger Cash – With General Assembly Spending Approval; Seat Belts, Speed Cams Nixed
A Senate panel is preparing tonight to approve an omnibus amendment to Gov. Ted Strickland’s proposed $7.6 billion transportation budget that retains his proposal to build a rail passenger system – with ultimate approval of the General Assembly, not the Controlling Board.
The Senate Highways & Transportation Committee is scheduled to convene at 7 p.m. to take up revisions in the House-passed version of the two-year spending plan (HB 2).
Sources said the omnibus amendment would permit administration agencies to apply for a share of at least $8 billion in federal stimulus money available to states on a competitive basis for rail passenger projects.
The administration would have to return to legislators for spending authority. Under the House version, only approval of the seven-member Controlling Board would be required.
Two other of Mr. Strickland’s proposals are being removed from the budget. One was intended to make violations of the state’s vehicle seat belt law a primary offense. The other was to create a pilot project for use of automated cameras in construction zones of interstate highways to catch speeders and impose civil penalties.
Also slated for removal from the bill: creation of local Transportation Innovation Authorities with power to create toll roads, and a provision authorizing the executive to spend about $2.2 billion in federal economic stimulus funds for various programs.
Much of the stimulus money is already contained in legislation (SB 2) that cleared the Senate last week.
Details in today’s Gongwer News Service Ohio Report
Wow-great look at the numbers.
yeah ..i dont want to get pulled over for not wearing my seatbelt anyway~! This is awsome i was on edge all day
“With general assembly approval†sounds workable. Going to be a fight every time any funding is on the table, but it’s better than an entire “no goâ€Â.
Is it too early for a “YAY!†?
Not at all too early to say “Hell Yes!”. This is a victory for everyone who e-mail or called their Senators. I am told one organization generated 8,000 calls, and that All Aboard Ohio, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters and the Ohio Evironmental Council generated even more. I’m also told that Senator Patton got over 500 calls in a single day!
Nice work everyone!!! It gets Ohio closer to putting passenger trains on the track than we’ve been since the last time the trains stoiped running. But don’t let up… keep letting your reps know you support this!
WOW. I was sitting around all day emailing and hoping that rail didnt get cancelled and for once it looks like our government actually got everything right this time im proud to say.
The money is still there for rail, and it has to be approved by the gen assembly now, not just a 7-person board (which i think is actually better, allows for more debate and openness and also protects rail in the future more from just the whims of whichever party controls the controlling board).
AND to top it off the two things I really didnt like in the budget, the seat belt primary offense thing and the cameras giving out speeding tickets are nixed.
Im floored that im actually gaining a little confidence in our government here. WOO DEMOCRACY!
so when it that vote going to happen
I agree it is time to celebrate some but understand that the battle isn’t over. In fact, I think it is important to celebrate this step in the battle loudly, loud enough that all of our legislators hear how happy this step makes us and how we can’t wait for the implementation.
Well it is a start. Still a lengthy road. Actually getting the stimulus dollars will be next. Are we actually approved to get $250 million in the stimulus?
I am happy for this first part moving forward but will still remain cautious till the train literally is moving down the track.
Now if only the 3c had a local light rail to tie into here in town?
nice to clear this hurdle. onward.
I think it was because of MY email that I wrote to Sen. Patton that kept the rail from being cut. :)
See democracy does still work in Ohio! Getting up the first step is always the hardest! Thank you Ohio leader for makeing the climb up step one.
Is there a list of who voted which way on this somewhere? I’d like to do a “thank you” e-mail.
Being skeptical at this point, because I’ve had my hopes dashed too many times already…
Can the new caveat on approval for spending by the whole legislature become an issue in actually being awarded the stimulus money at this point? Does it make the project less shovel ready?
It’s great to have another hurdle behind us—but kinda frustrating that we have to fight just to get approval to SEEK funding. Geez.
My broken record 2 cents: higher gas taxes (to force high gas prices) would make the Ohio GOP stop being obstructionist.
To see how committee members voted you would have to call the Chairman’s Office (Sen. Patton) or call/email each member of the committee individually and ask for their vote. The only votes you can get online are votes of the entire Senate and House. Unless there was a reporter or group in the hearing room to listen to the vote and they put that info online there is no “official” online vote.
And just to be “that guy” – why did the previous posting say that the rail plan was going to be killed by the “GOP”, but when the GOP lead committee passes the bill, there is no mention that it was the “GOP” in the headline?
Jefe – everyone has to “seek” funding for projects in this state in these economic times. While I support the rail project personally, there are also many other issues I find to be very important – education for one, job and business development, etc. When the state is running out of money and tough decisions have to be made, it is up to the citizens to tell their elected representatives what is important. That is how we inform their decisions.
And why is it the GOP that has to be “obstructionsit”? Maybe in this instance, as it has played out, the GOP has not been as friendly to the cause, but that doesn’t make them obstructionists. These Senators and Representatives come from all over the state and represent citizenry with widely varying interests. They each make decisions based on what they think is going to work out the best for the state. Doesn’t mean we like their decisions, but it also doesn’t make them obstructionist.
This sounds cool on paper. But is it really the best idea? The dispatch says it will cost $20 to go to Cinci or Cleveland and wont be as fast as driving. So when my girlfriend and myself go to Cinci to visit her parents we can pay $80 for a slower round trip or drive in a car that gets 30 plus mpg on the highway and pay $12 (6 gallons used total x $2/gallon) all the while being at the mercy of a fixed train schedule. Don’t think I’ll be signing up anytime soon.
Now I know everyone will lambaste me as being an environmental sinner and remind me about how gas probably won’t be at $2 per gallon in the future. However, I would rather see my tax dollars go to subsidizing more efficient cars that can perhaps run on something other than gas rather than throwing it at an outdated mode of transportation.
If we really want to spend it on rail of some kind, it should be on the originall streetcar plan through the city’s densest neighborhoods. This seems like the only plan that would stand a chance of at least paying for itself rather than being just another example of a bloated government project like Amtrak.
Why does it always have to be “one or the other”?
Why can’t we have both rail transit as well as better auto transit?
Options options bo-boptions…