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Stakeholders Address Amtrak Cuts

AMTRAK

To mayors and universities around Illinois, state funding for Amtrak should be increasing, not being cut back.

Speaking before the Senate Committee on Higher Education, Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen said the cuts to Amtrak proposed in the governor's budget may mean reduced service, despite the demand for extra trains on the trains along the Carbondale to Chicago corridor.

"We are filling our trains to capacity," Feinen said. "So our capacity is capped not by the number of people who want to ride trains, but by the number of spaces we have available on those trains."

SIU's Governmental Affairs Director, John Charles,  says Amtrak is critical for students, faculty, and staff at SIU.

"Amtrak is very important to the campus. It's a very important recruiting tool, that we actively engage in. It's also very important to our faculty and staff, who make use of the train for meetings."

But lawmakers say everyone is going to have to share the pain in this year's budget. State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) says he understands the importance of Amtrak services, but budget cuts have to come from somewhere.

"Hopefully, before the budget's done, it won't be as devastating as this. But we'll see. We have to fix this budget, or there'll be a lot worse things happen."

The governor has proposed reducing Amtrak funding to $26 million, the same level as the Fiscal Year 2013 budget.

Amtrak has said service reductions are unavoidable if the proposed cuts go into effect.

Jennifer Fuller joined Capitol News Illinois in July 2023 as the organization’s broadcast director. She will oversee the launch and operations of CNI’s new broadcast division.

Contact Jennifer Fuller at jfuller@capitolnewsillinois.com
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