Where’s Tommy?
With Republican candidates for Governor savaging a high speed rail link between Madison and Milwaukee, it’s fair to ask “where is the ubiquitous former Governor Tommy Thompson?” After all, the popular Republican was elected to the state’s highest office four times while promoting better passenger rail service for Wisconsin.
For those who may have forgotten, here is what Governor Thompson had to say about high speed passenger rail in October of 2000:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ –
Amtrak’s Board Chairman Governor Tommy G. Thompson made the following statement on today’s designation of national high speed rail corridors by the U.S. Department of Transportation:
“With more Americans traveling by train today than any time in a generation, these are exciting times for passenger rail service in our nation. Today’s designations continue our course to a comprehensive high-speed passenger rail system that is fully integrated into our national transportation system, alleviates congestion – the condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load.”
Former Wisconsin Governor Thompson
That was then and this is now, I guess. Except that rail is even more important today than it was 2000. Gasoline prices have skyrocketed since the halcyon days of 2000, making alternatives to the car more desirable and competitive. Our demographics are shifting, too – we have more elderly today than a decade ago, many of whom have more difficulty driving, especially at night. Rail is an attractive option for those who are challenged by driving long distances.
Of course, just being able to be connected by rail to other major cities is a tremendous advantage at any time. The intercity rail connection will make travel easier and cheaper than driving.
Wisconsin has been awarded $810 million for the passenger rail project. While there will be ongoing costs that could cost the state as much as $10 million a year, this pales with the $1.4 billion Wisconsinites currently pay in property taxes for highways.
Tommy knows that rail is good for Wisconsin – he said so for many years.
Have Scott Walker and Mark Neumann kidnapped the irrepressible Tommy Thompson? If not, those of us who were heartened by his tireless advocacy for rail sure wish he would speak up and take the partisanship out of passenger rail service in Wisconsin.
