IL Gov Quinn making fun of Wisc gov walker

[mucifer]

Pols Announce $685 Million For High-Speed Rail (VIDEO)

Starting in 2014, Cubs fans can bring a little Wrigleyville to St. Louis -- at least that’s what Gov. Quinn insisted at a press conference to announce a $685 million agreement to begin construction on the next phase of the a rail project connecting the two major Midwest cities that will help Chicago move toward becoming the epicenter of high speed rail service in the country. And although it was held at an Amtrak railyard in Chicago Tuesday, you’d think it was at a sports bar considering all the references to sports rivalries between the two cities. ...

Serving as the press conference's MC, Quinn took a jab at Gov. Scott when he elaborated on future routes that would include Rockford and the Quad Cities in Iowa. Milwaukee may also be a new route, Quinn said, with a “new governor” in place. Quinn also ribbed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin for his downstate allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals, to which Durbin conceded that he was a fan of all three area Major League Baseball teams in no particular order. Watch their comments from the press conference here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=camBlepVCdY&feature=player_embedded

Gov Quinn was discussing strong unions in our state made me smile. But, Quinn is making some scary cuts in our state budget, too.

[RandySF]

1. He's turning into a damn good governor

at lease from my observations.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Durbin's a Cardinal fan?

The NERVE! Traitor. Isn't their a law a Senator cannot support a sports team from over the border? ;) Go, Cubbies! In my youth, I was a Cardinal fan too.

I cannot WAIT for the high-speed rail.

[kevinbgoode]

3. That high speed rail could really cut time between Chicago and St. Louis

and even better, it would serve my hometown with a major university and the state capital of Springfield, too. I'm also excited about the Quad Cities line - the QC has about 350,000 people in their immediate metro area and no rail connection to Chicago (or anywhere else, for that matter). There is definitely a market for that line through northern Illinois, particularly if it goes through Rockford as well.

Illinois does have major budget problems, but one thing I've been proud of is their support for the Illinois Amtrak lines. The state has helped ensure there is rail service from Chicago-Quincy (including a major university in Macomb), extra trains to St. Louis and to Carbondale (a VERY long drive from Chicago). Those lines are heavily used by college students and many in rural Illinois who wish to visit the big city without the hassles of driving and parking.

[HEyHEY]

4. Still, I'd rather do the trip with Del Griffin

[Hardrada]

5. There are rail lines in Davenport. The old depot is still there too

and a freight house (now converted to something else). But the traffic now is just freight.

[kevinbgoode]

6. The state and the QC has obtained, I believe, the old station

in Moline - or a station location near the new QC campus of Western Illinois University being constructed along the riverfront just north of I-74. That is supposed to be the terminus for the Chicago-Quad Cities rail line. However, the QC has a pretty developed bus system, from what I can tell - it should be fairly easy to get to the Amtrak station from any of the Iowa cities.

[Scuba]

7. The Great Train Robbery.........

http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/milwaukee-biz-blog/2011/3 ...

Last December (seems like years ago today) thousands of protesters decried then Governor-elect Walker’s decision to reject $810 million in federal dollars to construct a high-speed rail system in Wisconsin that would link Madison to Milwaukee and Chicago.

The amount that the state “couldn’t afford” came to about $600,000 a year after federal matching subsidies. So the state ended up losing nearly a billion dollars of federal aid, thousands of engineering and construction jobs, a newly located train manufacturer in Milwaukee and countless dollars and jobs that would have occurred as a result of transit oriented development.

Rail proponents pointed out to Mr. Walker that we also stood to lose tens of millions of dollars that were badly needed for improvements to a section of state owned train tracks east of Madison as a part of the high-speed rail project.


Now, Governor Walker is making the first payment due because of that rejection. His proposed 2011-2013 budget allocates $60 million for making the improvements to the train tracks that would have been paid for with the federal gift of $810 million for high-speed rail.

Put another way, if Mr. Walker had taken a different track, we could have had a regional rail connection that form the first link in connecting the Twin Cities to Madison to Milwaukee to Chicago and points east for about $600,000 a year. Instead, we are sent a bill by Mr. Walker for $60 million.

That $60 million could have paid for the operating costs of the system for the next 100 years.

[mucifer]

8. Thanks to gov blago, Gov Quinn almost lost the race to a teabagger

We are sooo lucky. He actually has what looks to me to be a great jobs plan and high speed rail is a small part of it.
But, he is cutting some funds for non profits that benefit the poor stating we don't have money to pay for it.

[Scuba]

9. I used to live in the flatlands, and actually voted for Blogo. Yeccchhh. n/t

[mucifer]

10. me too yuk

[xchrom]

11. Awesome. nt