New Gulf Coast service (New Orleans - Mobile and Baton Rouge)

[cirdan]

Does this dolt not know what benefits the port of Mobile benefits the city of Mobile? Mobile is not a "poor little city". The truth is that for years the city has made out like a bandit off state support for the port, which has led to considerable ocean going trade passing through the port. For many years Mobile has simply sat back and let the state pour money into the port facilities to the benefit of the city. Simple: For ocean going trade into the state of Alabama, Mobile is the only game in town.

"

This may be true, but typically cities are not called upon to finance inter city rail service. This is the call of the states if not the federal government.

How many other corridor services are supported by cities versus being supported by the states?

Being poor is often a matter of perspective. Cities with higher tax income typically also have higher spending obligations. Adding to those obligations is always going to be a pain point, no matter how worthy the cause.

 

[John Bredin]

This may be true, but typically cities are not called upon to finance inter city rail service. This is the call of the states if not the federal government.

How many other corridor services are supported by cities versus being supported by the states?

Being poor is often a matter of perspective. Cities with higher tax income typically also have higher spending obligations. Adding to those obligations is always going to be a pain point, no matter how worthy the cause.

Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but isn't the measure before the city council of Mobile to approve *zoning* for the station (at the location of an existing parking lot no less!) not to spend any money?

Even if City of Mobile has to build the platform and shelter at its expense, that's not being "called upon to finance inter city rail service." Plenty of municipalities pay for the upkeep of their Amtrak station on both corridor (state-financed) and long-distance (federally-financed) services.

Even the dirt-poorest of cities routinely lays a block or two of roadway or sidewalk and replaces a bus shelter without breaking the budget. As has already been pointed out, towns and cities along the route with smaller populations and budgets than Mobile's have made station improvements in anticipation of this new service.

 

[Amtrak25]

ConnectUS countdown clock reduces federal subsidies 20% a year until it is gone. That's why 95% of it is going nowhere. In 2009, 3 Red State governors threw Obama's HSR money right back at him. New York, Vermont, and Maine benefiited. Nothing has changed.

 

[cirdan]

ConnectUS countdown clock reduces federal subsidies 20% a year until it is gone. That's why 95% of it is going nowhere. In 2009, 3 Red State governors threw Obama's HSR money right back at him. New York, Vermont, and Maine benefiited. Nothing has changed.

Didn't California end up taking much of the money Florida rejected?

From memory, much of the HSR money directed at the NEC was required to catch up on maintenance or replace end-of-life infrastructure rather than deliver substantial improvements.

 

[John Bredin]

So I went back and found I was mistaken somewhat: the City of Mobile is being asked for money. However, it's a modest sum, as some googling shows the City of Mobile annual budget is over $330 million and the City has an "unassigned general fund balance of $132 million of which $55 million is required to be maintained as a rainy-day fund."

Moreover, it's a one-time payment that the City already agreed to.

Amtrak also acknowledged that it has asked Mobile for a little more than $3 million – “which is the same amount the City of Mobile already approved in 2020” – to cover the first three years of restored service.

However, Amtrak explained in the Parties’ joint status report that Amtrak is not asking for any funds beyond the first three years or beyond what the City already approved in 2020.

 

[jis]

So I went back and found I was mistaken somewhat: the City of Mobile is being asked for money. However, it's a modest sum, as some googling shows the City of Mobile annual budget is over $330 million and the City has an "unassigned general fund balance of $132 million of which $55 million is required to be maintained as a rainy-day fund."

Moreover, it's a one-time payment that the City already agreed to.

This sort of contribution from City or County for initial construction of station is not at all unusual, and it now spans state agency run service as well as Brightline type private run service, in addition to Amtrak. Witness the contributions being made by Counties and Cities for the infill stations.

 

[lordsigma]

And the reason for the city having to pay the operating subsidy is because Governor Ivey is diametrically opposed to the service and will not provide any funding so the city was the work around that the Southern Rail Commission came up with. A change at the state level could change things up and make them a little more willing to contribute some - maybe half.

 

[lordsigma]

https://www.al.com/news/2024/05/ala...le-about-possible-commitment-for-amtrak.html?

A glimmer of hope that maybe Ivey may budge?

 

[joelkfla]

So I went back and found I was mistaken somewhat: the City of Mobile is being asked for money. However, it's a modest sum, as some googling shows the City of Mobile annual budget is over $330 million and the City has an "unassigned general fund balance of $132 million of which $55 million is required to be maintained as a rainy-day fund."

Moreover, it's a one-time payment that the City already agreed to.

The way I read it, the Mobile council members are more concerned over ongoing operating expenses, particularly as federal subsidies subside.