Subject: URGENT MICHIGAN ACTION ITEM: Contact Gove

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Subject: URGENT MICHIGAN ACTION ITEM: Contact Governor Granholm

Importance: High

To NARP Members in Michigan, August 6, 2004--

The final fiscal 2004 Supplemental Appropriations bill approved by the

Michigan House and Senate late Wednesday night (before they adjourned

for the summer recess) contains very serious anti-Amtrak language. The

text of Section 805 reads as follows:

"Sec. 805. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a public

transportation entity shall not receive state operating assistance for a

scheduled regular route service which is competing with another private

or public carrier over the same route. In situations where there is a

duplicate service, either both the public and private carriers shall

receive the same level of operating assistance or neither one shall

receive operating assistance."

This language, if signed by the Governor, would bring an end to the Pere

Marquette and Blue Water.

We have been told that that when the contents of the bill were explained

to the individual members, there was no mention of the fact that this

language was added. So in other words, members were never given an

opportunity to express their opposition to the language.

At this point, the only way to remove the offending language is for

Governor Jennifer Granholm to use the line-item veto. Please contact

Governor Granholm immediately and ask her to strike Section 805 from the

fiscal 2004 Supplemental Appropriations bill.

You may contact Governor Granholm as follows. Since time is of the

essence, U.S. Mail is not practical:

Lansing: Phone (517) 373-3400, Fax (517) 335-6863

Detroit-area office: (313) 456-0010

Upper Peninsula office (Marquette): (906) 228-2850

You may also send an e-mail to the Governor via. webform at

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-2...65331--,00.html

(note that you will not receive a response)

Thank you as always for your efforts to preserve these rail services!

--David Johnson

NARP Assistant Director

 

[engine999]

Jeez indian trails just keeps taking more drastic measures to eliminate competition. I still cant believe amtrak uses them as a thruway carrier. :angry:

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

We need to call e mail right now you have to mention SEC 805 WE COULD VERY WELL LOSE THE BLUE WATER AND THE PERE MARQUETTE THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN SAVE THIS NOW IS THE GOV OF MICHIGAN.

 

[Trogdor]

Even though I don't live in Michigan, I sent a message using the "e-mail the governor" form. It didn't ask for an address, and I've got politically active relatives in Detroit, so in a way, I'm practically a constituent.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Due to some News paper storys saying the Pere Marquette would not be affected by this is a lie both the Blue water and the Pere Marquette are togather if one goes they both go.The Blue water line does compete with the Bus lines to CHI and the Pere Marquette doesn't but this Bill if signed by the Gov woud kill both trains since the Pere Maquette and Blue water are togather if 1 goes they both go.