(The Associated Press circulated the following story by David A. Lieb on February 10.)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The House Budget Committee has narrowly rejected a funding request sought by Amtrak to continue its twice-daily, cross-state passenger service for the next several months.
Unless lawmakers later reverse course, the committee’s vote Tuesday would leave Missouri with only one train running between St. Louis and Kansas City, meaning passengers could no longer make a round trip in one day.
Although state transportation officials have said they have enough funding to last only until the end of this month, an Amtrak spokesman said Tuesday that there is no specific date for one of the two trains to halt.
“We’ll continue working with lawmakers on the issue, and as long as there’s evidence the Legislature is still considering supplemental appropriations, we’ll continue to operate the service,” said Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman based in Chicago.
Amtrak service costs the state about $6.2 million annually. But this year, as it did last year, the Legislature appropriated just $5 million for Amtrak.
Last year, when Amtrak threatened to end one of the two trains by March 1, 2003, the Legislature agreed to spend an additional $800,000 and state officials struck a nationally unique deal with Amtrak to impose a $5 per passenger surcharge on Missouri trips. Amtrak also eliminated ticket agents in Jefferson City and Kirkwood to help make up the difference.
That surcharge remains in effect this year, and is expected to generate $263,000, which counts toward Amtrak’s bill to the state.
The current funding is enough to keep one train running through the June 30 end of the state fiscal year. But Amtrak is seeking an additional $884,815 to operate the second train until then.
Rep. Brad Lager, the vice chairman of the House Budget Committee, led the effort to reject the funding request. His motion passed 13-11, with Republicans generally in favor of the cut and Democrats generally against it.
Lager, R-Maryville, noted that Amtrak ridership dipped to its lowest level last fiscal year since 1996, and he expressed frustration that last year’s funding deal was not meeting the costs.
“To continue to be held hostage by Amtrak is a bad situation that we’ve just got to remove ourselves from,” Lager said.
But the action of the House Budget Committee may not be the last word.
Committee chairman Rep. Carl Bearden, R-St. Charles, said negotiations will continue with Amtrak and state transportation officials to reach a funding agreement, and the Senate still could add money for Amtrak.
Amtrak supporters worry that ridership will fall dramatically if the extra funding is rejected and one train ceases. After a three-month suspension of the second train in the mid-1990s, it took about three years to build Amtrak ridership back to previous levels.