Mascara, Murtha agree that funding needed for Amtrak
Local congressmen have different opinions on the best way to help Amtrak out of its funding problem. Amtrak officials contend they need to more than double the rail line’s federal subsidy or they will be forced to eliminate numerous lines across the country, including the Capitol Limited, which stops in Connellsville twice a day.
U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara (D-Charleroi) supports increasing Amtrak’s budget and keeping open the Connellsville station.
“I would support the additional funding, provided they justify how to use the money,” Mascara said. “We need to make sure there is some kind of break for the taxpayers, but we also need to upgrade and do as much for passenger trains as we can.’
Mascara also said Amtrak could help solve part of the impending energy crisis facing the nation: “There is more at stake here than just riding a train. With the looming energy crisis, we could look at trains and see if this is a way to get people out of automobiles and conserve energy at the same time.”
As for the prospects of Amtrak receiving additional funding, Mascara was unsure how much support the rail service could generate among fiscally conservative Republicans in Congress.
“We have more budget restrictions now. We had a surplus, but nearly all of that is gone and Republicans are just hell-bent on trying to stop the hemorrhaging of any additional federal funds. Our resources are limited, but I would still support more funding if we were given reassurances that somebody is going to look out for any financial losses,” Mascara said.
Mascara’s congressional counterpart and opponent in the upcoming Democratic primary, Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) was more ambiguous about his Amtrak position.
“Amtrak service is not a simple dollars-and-cents issue. We need to look at Amtrak in the context of our overall transportation and energy policies,” Murtha said. “I’ve always been a supporter of Amtrak because, sooner or later, I think more people will go back to trains.”
However, Murtha would not firmly commit to supporting more Amtrak funding, only saying that, “I am convinced that Amtrak won’t work without some level of ongoing government support and oversight.”