Gunn Says Amtrak Can Live With 1.2 Billion

[AlanB]

Amtrak on Thursday put to rest any threat of a possible shutdown this year after congressional negotiators approved $1.2 billion in subsidies for the passenger rail service.
"This number will allow us to continue to operate the national system," the railroad's president, David Gunn, said in a statement. "However, we will have to assess the impact of this funding level on our current budget over the next month or so."

The full story from Forbes.com.

Thanks to OTOL for finding this story.

 

[rail sale]

Just heard last night on the news that the tax loophole that provides deduction for SUVs over 6000 lbs. will result in about 1.2 billion in refunds to SUV buyers.

funny eh?

 

[AlanB]

Under Gunn, Amtrak has begun an ambitious plan to rebuild wrecked passenger cars and perform badly needed maintenance on passenger cars, locomotives and the Amtrak-owned Washington-Boston Northeast Corridor. That work is underway at a pace that assumed a $1.8 billion federal budget, and Gunn has said repeatedly that it would be a serious mistake to cut back on that program.
However, sources close to Amtrak said Gunn may be able to continue with the program, perhaps at a slower pace, while pushing some of the cost into the next fiscal year. That would mean that Amtrak will probably seek a substantial budget increase again in fiscal 2005.

Here's a follow-up story on the 1.2 B and it's possible impact on Amtrak, from the Washington Post.

 

[Steve4031]

Just heard last night on the news that the tax loophole that provides deduction for SUVs over 6000 lbs. will result in about 1.2 billion in refunds to SUV buyers.
funny eh?

More like BS, than funny. Our politicians don't GET IT!!