Iowa loses out as rail funds not appropriated

Iowa residents and taxpayers are being horribly betrayed by Gov. Terry Branstad and his Republican henchmen in the Legislature. They are sabotaging a $230 million federal grant to expand passenger rail service that would link major Iowa cities to Chicago and eventually Omaha, Neb.

All they would have to appropriate is $5.5 million in the Iowa DOT's budget, but they claim they're saving taxpayers' money by scuttling a major infrastructure improvement that citizen passengers could use for years to come.

And, yes, we would use rail service, just like we use the badly overcrowded highways that cost us 10 times as much. This line would make money, because it links a major city such as Chicago to most of Iowa's major cities. Iowans would use this line heavily, and it would bring us thousands of out-of-state tourists, business people and students. It would siphon many vehicles off Interstate 80.

Good infrastructure and responsible governance are crucial to our economy. Good governance should mean wise investment, and every study has proved the wisdom of supporting passenger rail.

James Conger

Iowa City