Hotline #741

The new fiscal year began yesterday. All programs for which there is no enacted appropriations bill are covered by a continuing resolution that extends their 1992-level funding through the end of October 5. Last night, the House and Senate both approved H.R.5518, the 1993 DOT appropriations bill, and it is being sent to the President for signature. He is expected to sign it.

We are pleased to confirm that the Amtrak figures in H.R.5518 that were reported tentatively last week. Thanks to Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), Amtrak got all Senate-bill figures, including $165 million for capital and $204.1 million for the Northeast Corridor. However, we must keep in mind that, mostly because of extreme budget-cutting concerns in Congress, Amtrak is getting $11 million less than last year. This is still not enough to allow Amtrak to keep up with depreciation or pursue its goal of operational self-sufficiency. Still, it is far better than the House bill, which, had it prevailed, would have meant a $306 million cut for Amtrak.

Total transit funding was $3.80 billion, up slightly from $3.76 billion a year ago and up from $3.3 billion in 1991 -- but still far below ISTEA-authorized levels.

The Amtrak reauthorization bill passed by both houses was still the topic of Hill staff discussions today, but they hoped to finish up by tonight. A final version must be voted on again by both houses before Congress adjourns, which is expected to be the morning of October 6.

Amtrak board member Charlie Luna died last night in Dallas. He was the only board member to have served all the way through since Amtrak's creation. Luna was president of the United Transportation Union in the 1960's and represented the labor community on the Amtrak board.

The Honolulu City Council has rejected a local tax increase that would have covered 70% of the cost of the proposed rapid transit system. State permission to levy the tax expired yesterday. Prospects are bleak, but the mayor is looking for a solution.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) celebrated its 20th anniversary on September 11.

This week, Southern Pacific said the entire Coast Line between San Jose and Burbank could be sold to the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission for potential future high-speed service. It is giving LACTC one year to make an offer on the line, which is used by Amtrak's Coast Starlight and some San Diegans. SP says the line could be upgraded to 110-mph service for $360 million. LACTC may also by the SP line between Los Angeles and Palmdale.

Proposition 156, which would create another $1 billion of state rail bonds, will be on the California ballot on November 3. It is an extension of one of the two rail propositions passed in June 1990.

The new, community-funded station at Olympia, Wash., opens tomorrow with a ceremony at 1:00 pm.

The Ross Perot deficit-cutting plan includes raising the gas tax by 10 cents a year for five years. Yesterday, Perot defended this, saying other nations levied even stiffer fuel taxes. But he also said they used those taxes to repair roads; NARP will inform Perot about the high proportion of foreign gas tax revenues that go to non-road purposes -- as high as 75% in the Netherlands and Great Britain; 66% elsewhere in Europe.

Swiss voters have approved a $10.7-billion plan to build two high-speed rail tunnels under the Alps, to be finished by 2010. One tunnel under the Gotthard Pass would be 31 miles long; the other under the Loetschberg Range would be 19 miles long. The Swiss government had agreed to improve its trans-alpine rail lines as a condition to joining the European Free Trade Area, because it refused to get rid of its tight truck-weight restrictions.

Rail-Tex of San Antonio has purchased the 250-mile Canadian National line between Truro and Sydney, N.S. This line had passenger service until the 1990 VIA cuts.