Wis. Gov-Elect: Gimme the $810 million for highspeed rail, but I won't spend it on highspeed rail

[marmar]

This dude is a real piece of.......work.



By Larry Sandler and Annysa Johnson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee


For the first time, Governor-elect Scott Walker is raising the possibility he could support spending $810 million in federal funds on train service - just not the train service for which it was allocated.

It's a potentially significant change for a politician who has insisted that all of the federal stimulus money should be redirected from high-speed rail to Wisconsin highways - a position flatly rejected by federal and state officials.

Rail supporters still want the federal dollars spent on their intended purpose: a planned high-speed rail line from Milwaukee to Madison. More than 200 people rallied Monday outside the Talgo Inc. train plant to urge Walker to relent.

Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, has repeatedly vowed to block construction of that line. He reiterated that position Sunday in an interview with Mike Gousha on "UpFront" on WISN-TV (Channel 12). .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=12994

[Zenlitened]

1. Nerve like that is something to behold, isn't it?

[msongs]

2. feds should tell him to shove it nt

[Botany]

3. No it can only be spent for what it was allocated for ......

..... Republicans against jobs, progress, and infrastructure. Spread the word and kick 'em out
in 2012.

[madrchsod]

4. some one should tell snotty scottie that....

this is the way the big boys play the game of politics. he can`t change the game to suit his whims.

i hope my republican neighbors to the north realize they elected a concrete block to the governorship.

[keroro gunsou]

6. that's not fair

unlike walker, a concrete block is useful.

[dragonlady]

5. Sensenbrenner and Ryan have a solution

They introduced a bill that would allow Wisconsin to return the $810 million to the U.S. Treasury for debt reduction, thereby denying it to any other state for railroad use. Meanwhile the cost to Wisconsin for canceling the rail project has risen to over $135 million in money already spent that would have to be returned, plus other funds required for freight rail upgrades. The newspaper that endorsed Walker helpfully points out that "some of those costs could be covered by federal, local and corporate money, rather than state taxpayers." You can't make up stuff like this.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/108470944.html

[napi21]

7. Isn't there fed. mandate that the $$ must be spent for it's

intende purpose of you don't get it?

[OHdem10]

8. Kasich in Ohio tried the same stunt. Said he would cancel the

train plans already in place, but called Lahood and wanted
the money for other things. Lahood--no dice. The nerve
of some.

[EC]

9. What the hell does he have to lose just to let the HSR be

built? He already lost the arguement to spend it on roads - which is why he contested it to begin with - because the concret and roads industry thought they could get their hands on the money...but when LaHood told him no (and like Christy - he would have to repay monies spent already) - so now he says this? Let the rail be built - it's meant to connect with the rest of the nation ...we need it...