August 4, 2009

Darling Says Taxpayers Railroaded in Train Deal

MADISON . . .  Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) said Wisconsin taxpayers have been railroaded by Joint Finance Committee Democrats, who today rubber-stamped Governor Jim Doyle’s cozy, no-bid contract to purchase two train sets for $47.5 million from a Spanish company.

The trains would be part of a passenger rail corridor that would start in downtown Milwaukee and end at the Dane County airport, which is six miles away from downtown Madison destinations.  The Department of Transportation does not have final estimates of operating costs, projected ridership or amount of yearly taxpayer subsidies necessary to run the rail line.  Darling said she voted against the train purchase for several reasons.

“We don’t have a competitive bid, we don’t know how many people will actually ride, we don’t know what it will cost and we simply don’t have the money,” said Darling.  “It’s positively outrageous that the Democrats are being so cavalier about spending taxpayer dollars.”

The passenger rail line could start running in 2013, with “high speed” trains averaging 70 miles per hour, which is roughly the average speed of I-94 freeway traffic.

Governor Doyle is touting the fact his $47.5 million train sets would create 80 Wisconsin jobs.  $47.5 million divided by 80 jobs equals almost $600,000 in taxpayer dollars per job created.

The $47.5 million figure for the two train sets does not include locomotives.