Granite Staters Shouldn’t Pay for Rail Boondoggle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Concord, NH- House Deputy Majority Whip Aidan Ankarberg (R-Rochester) released the following statement after introducing HB110, prohibiting the use of state funds for new passenger rail projects.
“The proposed Capitol Corridor Project from Manchester to Nashua would only service a few towns in the southern part of the state. However, residents of towns like Rochester would be forced to foot the bill for something that does not benefit them. The reality today is that commuting patterns and work patterns are changing. There is extensive data showing ridership on commuter rail is decreasing. This is not a burden we should be placing upon New Hampshire tax payers, especially when the demand is not there.”
“There is no passenger rail service in the world that operates without extensive public subsidies, and this project would be no exception. One of the proposed methods for paying for the Capitol Corridor Project is relying on a transit sales tax. This is unacceptable and is not in keeping with the New Hampshire Advantage. It is my hope the legislature sees commuter rail as the boondoggle it is and passes HB110.”
