(The following story by Herb Jackson appeared on The Record website on November 19, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak needs to upgrade its management and accounting controls “to gain the trust of the general public and Congress” if it wants to grow in the future, a New Jersey nominee to the railroad’s board of directors told a Senate committee Wednesday.
“Amtrak’s leadership, including its board, must make every effort to conduct itself and the business of the agency a transparent manner,” Anthony Coscia told the Senate’s transportation committee at a confirmation hearing.
Amtrak received $1.3 billion for backlogged projects and $8 billion to develop high-speed rail lines this year after several consecutive years of tight budgets while former President George W. Bush tried to convince Congress to privatize the railroad.
To build on that investment and get continued funding, Coscia said Amtrak will have to convince Congress it is spending the money wisely and the public is benefiting.
Coscia, a West Caldwell resident and a lawyer with Windells, Marx, Lane & Mittendorf, is chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He said overseeing an agency that manages airports, bridges, tunnels and a subway system convinced him that passenger rail is critical to building an effective 21st-century transportation system.”
Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez, both D-N.J., spoke in support of Coscia and expanding Amtrak.
Lautenberg said the backups at airports and highways that are common during the Thanksgiving holiday demonstrate the need for a better rail system.
“When America has a vibrant and truly national passenger rail service you will see fewer lines and fewer delays because passengers will have more options,” Lautenberg said.
Menendez said the Port Authority under Coscia’s leadership upgraded its PATH subway system and made a major commitment to the nearly $9 billion tunnel under the Hudson River that NJ Transit began building this summer.
E-mail: jackson@northjersey.com
Amtrak needs to upgrade its management and accounting controls “to gain the trust of the general public and Congress” if it wants to grow in the future, a New Jersey nominee to the railroad’s board of directors told a Senate committee Wednesday.
“Amtrak’s leadership, including its board, must make every effort to conduct itself and the business of the agency a transparent manner,” Anthony Coscia told the Senate’s transportation committee at a confirmation hearing.
Amtrak received $1.3 billion for backlogged projects and $8 billion to develop high-speed rail lines this year after several consecutive years of tight budgets while former President George W. Bush tried to convince Congress to privatize the railroad.
To build on that investment and get continued funding, Coscia said Amtrak will have to convince Congress it is spending the money wisely and the public is benefiting.
Coscia, a West Caldwell resident and a lawyer with Windells, Marx, Lane & Mittendorf, is chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He said overseeing an agency that manages airports, bridges, tunnels and a subway system convinced him that passenger rail is critical to building an effective 21st-century transportation system.”
Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez, both D-N.J., spoke in support of Coscia and expanding Amtrak.
Lautenberg said the backups at airports and highways that are common during the Thanksgiving holiday demonstrate the need for a better rail system.
“When America has a vibrant and truly national passenger rail service you will see fewer lines and fewer delays because passengers will have more options,” Lautenberg said.
Menendez said the Port Authority under Coscia’s leadership upgraded its PATH subway system and made a major commitment to the nearly $9 billion tunnel under the Hudson River that NJ Transit began building this summer.