Big problem for Amtraks future

[Guest_Amtrak_flyer]

http://www.narprail.org/Annual%20Report%20...%20Congress.pdf

Looks like Bush' croneys on Amtraks board are going head to head with Gunn. I find it interesting that David Gunn did not send the main report to congress this year instead it was David Laney who like everyone else left on the board was appointed by Bush. Reading the two reports it seems Laney is more willing to go along with Bush's proposals then Gunn. Why else would there by two seperate reports submitted by Amtrak if there wasnt a disagreement between Gunn and the Board?

Also how come they did not submit a Budget request for 2006? Gunn has been very clear the number is somewhere between 1.6-1.8 billion. Why are they just now studying the numbers unless they are going to submit a NEC budget only? A NEC budget that will have a low ball number making LD routes look bad?

If anyone can take on this fight its Gunn, but it makes things 1000X more difficult if Amtraks board doesnt want to run a national system. I hope I'm reading more into this then there is.

 

[lepearso]

You make some very good points, but remember that Laney said very clearly that it is not in anyone's best interest to force Amtrak into bankruptcy and that the "reforms" that Bush wants can't be put into place without buying Amtrak some additonal time in its present form. At the very least, I think the Amtrak board will eventually go for a reasonable grant request this year, but I think in the long run they may try to force some "reforms" at Amtrak that are downright destructive. Congress will soon get wind of this and it won't be pretty.

I believe that a crisis can serve as a catalyst. Let's make this unfortunate turn of events turn into something good for Amtrak and for our nation. It can happen, and I have a hunch that it will.

 

[Guest_amtrak_flyer]

here we go, the fight begins

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/politics...s/20amtrak.html

 

[rile42]

For those that need an idea of the make-up of the Amtrak board, this is excerpted from an e-mail from Craig O'Connell that runs the Friends of Amtrak website. I hope he doesn't mind my putting it here.

"Interestingly enough, the Amtrak Board is now comprised of only four

voting members, all Bush appointees. It includes its Chairman David M.

Laney, a Dallas lawyer, lobbyist and former chairman of the Texas

Transportation Commission, appointed by then Governor Bush, and a Bush

campaign contributor and major fundraiser; Floyd Hall, (a Bush recess

appointee) retired chairman of KMart now residing in Montclair, NJ;

Enrique Sosa, a retired oil industry executive from Miami, Florida who

at confirmation hearings confessed to have no knowledge of ground

transportation matters and had never even been on an Amtrak train

(Washington Post, June 6, 2004); and, as ex officio, Transportation

Secretary Norman Mineta, no friend of Amtrak. Presently none of the

four Board members nor Mr. Gunn have responded to press inquiries."