(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on June 18, 2009.)
Last week, 11 short-line railroaders lobbied in Washington, D.C., to help secure more co-sponsors for the Short Line Rehabilitation Tax Credit bill (H.R. 1132/S. 461), according to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s (ASLRRA) latest “Views & News” newsletter.
The lobbyists included Ed McKechnie of the Watco Cos. Inc.; Dave Arganbright of RailAmerica Inc.; Dan Sabin of the Iowa Northern Railway Co.; Bob Babcock of the Indiana Rail Road Co.; Doyle Corman, Dale Hawk and Jim Oaks of the RJ Corman Railroad Group; Gene Blabey of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad; Larry DeYoung of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad; Stephen Drunsic of the Nashville & Eastern and Nashville & Western railroads; and Ken Pippin of the Carolina Southern Railroad Co.
The railroaders held more than 50 meetings with House and Senate offices. More than half of the meetings will directly result in co-sponsorship of the short-line tax credit, said Jeff Van Schaick of ASLRRA lobbying firm Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell L.L.C. in the newsletter.
The bill currently has 91 co-sponsors and the lobbyists are aiming for 100 before Congress’ July 4 recess.
H.R. 1132/S. 461 proposes to extend short lines’ tax credits from Dec. 31, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2012. In addition, the legislation would enable short lines to claim a tax credit of 50 cents for every dollar spent on infrastructure improvements up to a cap of $4,500 per mile of owned or leased track instead of the current $3,500 cap.