(The following story by Tom Troy appeared on the Toledo Blade website on June 7, 2009. Bo Williamson is President of BLET Division 4 in Toledo, Ohio.)
TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo mayoral candidate Ben Konop Sunday proposed steps to rebuild Toledo’s railroad business and threw his support behind federal legislation that would restrict longer trucks from the highways.
And in a separate development, independent mayoral candidate Michael Bell said one of his first initiatives as mayor would be to have Toledo join neighboring communities in planning for a regional water compact.
Mr. Konop joined with representatives of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen yesterday in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza railroad terminal.
He said he sent letters to Toledo’s congressional delegation supporting the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Act that would prohibit new trucks longer than 53 feet on interstate highways.
He said the four rail lines in Lucas County employ hundreds of people with salaries between $40,000 and $100,000. But the downturn in the automotive industry has led to slacking off of railroad shipping and the layoffs of about 150 local rail workers.
“If we allow bigger trucks on the roads, thus enabling them to carry more cargo, I believe the rail industry will suffer even more and Lucas County’s economy will deteriorate further,” Mr. Konop wrote.
Bo Williamson, president of the railroad local, said the legislation would protect the industry and lead to a stronger rail system.
Mr. Konop also said heavier trucks would damage roads and bridges and create more pollution.
The American Trucking Association opposes the legislation, saying it takes away states’ ability to set local weight limits, and disputes claims that the trucks cause greater damage or take away significant business from railroads.
The group contends the legislation would lower shipping costs, lower emissions, and improve safety.
Mr. Konop also called for completion of the Airline Junction intermodal project at Hill and Fearing avenues, which is expected to create 800 jobs over seven years. And he called for a marketing plan involving local governments and railroad companies, and for a high-speed passenger line connecting Toledo, Ann Arbor, and Bowling Green.
Mr. Bell said he would discuss his plans for regional water sharing at a news conference at 10 a.m. today in front of the city’s Division of Water Distribution building at 401 South Erie St.
“The city of Toledo should not sell its water system – this is a valuable asset that our taxpayers have built and maintained over generations, and we should never give it up,” Mr. Bell said.
“But Toledo’s water system has plenty of unused capacity, and selling water to the region can be an important source of revenue to the city budget.”
He said a new water compact would replace the current system of water deals, which he called “inconsistent and arbitrary.”
He said a public meeting on water rates in Rossford recently revealed how neighboring communities are looking at other options for water.