MA: The Mideast High Speed Rail Expansion Act (Signed)

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

We have a hefty budget surplus regionally, in fact spending all this in 1 year still gives the region a significant surplus. The Mideast can cover all the funds without a problem. Again, Shua, would you support the final bill with your amendment included?

Yes, I will, but do you have a link to the current budget figures so I can see what you are talking about?  I can't find them.

[Boston Bread]

I must apologize, but the Mideast budget surplus was 10% of what I thought it was. The surplus is only $4.25b.
The projected surplus is

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From: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=196610.25

Edit: Instead of scrapping several rail plans, several rail lines can be downgraded to medium-speed rail, which typically travels at 80mph, up to 110mph, like the Amtrak plan in the Northeast. It is nonetheless an upgrade over currently existing rail lines in many of these areas, and has a cost of only 2.5$ million/mile. Existing non-high speed passenger rail travels at 60mph so medium-speed rail would be a significant upgrade.

Edit: So this is the revised new amendment I am proposing in place of Shua's amendment.

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No previously proposed rail lines are cancelled by this amendment.

Thus the annual spending as a result of the (edited) bill is $3.85 b (including the -$1b a year from road/highway cuts) for 4 years, leaving the region with a surplus. Our current annual spending on highways is $9.2 billion along with $6.54 billion on non-highway roads, so I believe these cuts will not be a major issue when high-speed rail becomes an alternative. If the tracks in section 8. are to be built, a revenue increase is necessary but that can occur when the plan is formalized.

Shua, what do you think of this amendment?

Edit 2: made the amendment more readable.
Edit 3: specified the routes which go through Evansville and Bloomington

[Boston Bread]

Regarding the budget issue, the region has been on a path of cutting spending and taxes over the past fiscal year. The budget passed in 2014 included $35 billion less in spending, with revenue cuts that reduced the surplus to $4 b from the $35+ b surplus we would have had if no revenues were cut. So if we are to make significant investments like high speed rail I recommend that some revenue streams be restored so the region has more fiscal room to work with, even if it isn't necessary.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Ok, that's an interesting idea. Since this is a major revision, I'd like to explore it further and see what routes here it makes sense to have high vs. medium speed. Is there a big difference in operating costs?

I'd like to keep in there that Indianapolis to Louisville goes via Bloomington and Louisville to St Louis goes via Evansville, just to specify in case someone wants to expand these lines in the future and wonders about the exact route.

[Boston Bread]

The routes which I converted to medium speed rail were the routes which travelled between smaller population centres. It's necessary to keep the bill's cost sufficiently low. These are routes which as Shua pointed out, don't make financial sense to build a high-speed rail line especially when we're required to have a balance budget.

If there are no objections for the next day I will assume sponsorship of the bill and adopt my amendment, hopefully that will address all the concerns so it can go to a vote soon after.

[Boston Bread]

With tmth's absence I have assumed sponsorship of the bill. So I am amending the High Speed Rail Expansion Act as such:

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Any further concerns?
This amendment is to address budgeting and rail route concerns.

[Boston Bread]

To my knowledge the concerns regarding this bill have been settled. I am calling a vote. The final version of the bill is in my above post. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[Boston Bread]

Aye

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Aye

[Hatman 🍁]

aye

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Aye

[Boston Bread]

The bill has passed by a 4-0 vote.