There Are Amtrak Haters Out There

[FayeforCure]

There is a record though.

Yes, you can have megavote send you updates automatically. For example, here is the latest Megavote update of 8/3/2009:

Recent House Votes
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 - Vote Passed (400-30, 3 Not Voting)

On Thursday, the House approved this $636.3 billion bill funding the Department of Defense.

Rep. John Mica voted YES......send e-mail or see bio


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (283-142, 8 Not Voting)

The House passed this food safety legislation, which would give the FDA more oversight and expand its role in inspections.

Rep. John Mica voted NO......send e-mail or see bio


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program - Vote Passed (316-109, 2 Present, 6 Not Voting)

The House approved an additional $2 billion for the “Cash for Clunkers” program, which had run out of funds.

Rep. John Mica voted NO......send e-mail or see bio


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act - Vote Passed (237-185, 11 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that intends to provide shareholders with an advisory vote on executive compensation and to prevent certain incentives in the compensation practices of financial institutions.

Rep. John Mica voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Sign up at http://www.congress.org for your own megavote updates.

[FayeforCure]

So Mica does not like Amtrak and his opponents don't like the projects he supports (ex. Orlando commuter rail).  So what should we do with this information?

I would have supported the Orlando Commuter Rail had it been reworked, which is what I expect will be happening next.

My concerns were shared by many:

The liability issues and stuff like that,............ there were some concerns expressed about the way it was set up and what CSX was getting out of the deal.

http://www.examiner.com/x-10977-Jacksonville-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m9d4-Commuter-rail-for-the-First-Coast-Yes-but

Similar to your concern about Disney benefiting at tax payer expense.

Surprisingly First Coast rail gets very little attention in that article published yesterday. Again the Orlando commuter rail talk overshadows all other Florida rail talk. The only mention this First Coast Rail article gives of the Jax- Miami commuter rail line is this:

Ridership and dollars will be issues in coming months.

“I think the numbers are there in Jacksonville and North Florida. The FEC line is an opportunity that they could do something for commuters, they could do CSX. It takes a long time. It took 15 years in Central Florida for it to come to fruition.”

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will release its First Coast Commuter Rail plans at its September 24 board meeting. Turnkey designers Gannett Fleming, Inc. of Camp Hill, Pa., have been working on the project for well more than one year. Their report was due last spring, but no word yet why the delay.

[thelakelander]

Like our positions on central florida commuter and high speed rail, Mica probably has his reasons for being against Amtrak in the past.  That's why I was asking, what are we supposed to do with this information?  Is it just for our knowledge or do you think something else should be done?

[thelakelander]

I thought you guys arleady knew Mica's past position on Amtrak.  I stand corrected, but it has been posted on this site several times in the past.

[thelakelander]

Why is he against Amtrak?  Is it intercity rail in general or a certain way it was being funded or ran?

[FayeforCure]

Why is he against Amtrak?  Is it intercity rail in general or a certain way it was being funded or ran?

He's a strong supporter of privatization of government functions. It's all part of the Republican philosophy. BTW it's his current position too.

By pushing for the Acela to be replaced ( a provision he put in the only Amtrak funding bill he's ever voted yes on) he's trying to force away one of Amtrak's most profitable lines, thereby again undermining Amtrak.

[FayeforCure]

I can look at Corrine Brown's record and see that she not only chairs a committee on rail for the US house, but is also a real advocate of rail.

But I don't know Mica's'

Yes you DO know Mica's:

1. He does not want HSR for Florida ( did not endorse the HSR application )
2. He only wants HSR to replace the Acela, Washington DC to NY, been stomping for that one as a former NY resident.
3. He's only given lip service to the Jax-Miami commuter line since 2001 ( even though it would run the entire length of his district and would be easy to get started)
4. He's an avid suppporter of Orlando Commuter rail ( which will take freight trains out of Winter Park, his home town)

[FayeforCure]

Faye, would you swear on your credibility that he has never voted yes on another bill funding amtrak?  or do you mean a bill specifically designed for amtrak?  Or do you mean as far as youve researched?

Stephen, I have read that John Mica never voted yes on any other bill funding Amtrak, except the one that has the provision to get private company bids on replacing the Acela with HSR. The people who have been blogging about this are rail officionados, who have watched Mica's votes for the 17 years he's been in US Congress ( we ought to have term limits).

Like most here on this blog, I never really knew how my Representative voted in Washington DC. Most of us only know the smiling faces of our Reps, and how "nice" they seem. There are however orgs that track the voting records of our Reps, and that makes it easier for all of us.

The League of Conservation voters ( that are into conserving our environment) gives him a zero out of 100.

What we should have is an org that tracks public transportation issues specifically, but you can bet that those who score high by the League of Conservation voters (LCV), would also be avid public transportation supporters.

Anyway, the fact that Mica consitently gets called an Amtrak critic, Amtrak hater, and the like should have been food for thought a long time ago among local rail enthusiasts.

Apparently Ock was sufficiently concerned in the early nineties to try to help educate Mica on Amtrak,.......unfortunately Mica can continue voting NO to Amtrak funding all the time without anyone even noticing.......

[thelakelander]

Two comments on the four points.

1. He does not want HSR in Florida for the same reasons others like Ock and me have stated.  Its the same reason you claim you don't support Orlando's commuter rail plan.  We all believe its too much money and the wrong type of investment for taxpayers, based on what's planned.

4. His own town really does not want it.  Many of Winter Park's residents believe that it will bring "rift raft" into their downtown.  If anything, he is a leader in this issue to keep pushing it even though many in his own home turf rather see rail money invested in more roads.

Also, that freight traffic shifting off the "A" line frees a ton of capacity on the "A" line between DT Jax and Orange Park.  Local Jax/Clay County residents commuting parallel to that corridor have to put up with the longest commutes in the state via Blanding and Roosevelt Blvds.  In other words, anyone who wants commuter rail to happen in Jax quick, should support the relocation of freight traffic from the "A" to the "S" line through North and Central Florida.

[thelakelander]

To be realistic, I'm not really concerned with his past record towards Amtrak.  The application for HSR funds to fund the Amtrak/FEC project has already been submitted to the federal government.  Amtrak also has another pot of funds the government has provided for them to enhance their intercity network.  So, if Amtrak really wants it, it will happen, regardless of Mica's past actions. 

Now if you or Faye can prove that he's actively lobbying against the project, then that's another thing and I would be truly concerned in that case.

[thelakelander]

He is pro rail for a Republican.  However, he has some reservations about Amtrak.  As you know, both me and Ock are also pro-rail but we have our reservations about Florida's HSR plans.  Faye is also pro rail, but she has her reservations about Sunrail.  With that said, unless he's actively lobbying against Amtrak expanding in Florida with the stimulus money available, I'm not too concerned.  As rail advocates, we don't always have to agree on every single issue.

[FayeforCure]

However, he has some reservations about Amtrak. 

John Mica has actively lobbied AGAINST Amtrak. Remember the CSPAN interview in 2005, where he talked about dismantling Amtrak. He has actively lobbied to STARVE Amtrak.

Stephen, I can get you that link,.........give me a minute,......as I've said voting records are only of interest to a small group of dedicated individuals that track them. The general media doesn't ever report on voting records much.

For example, Reps routinely brag about what the stimulus money has done for their district, by making ANNOUNCEMENTS of federal monies coming in. Meantime the traditional media NEVER mentions that that particular Rep voted AGAINST the stimulus money, when the bill was up for a vote.

[thelakelander]

He may not be a big fan of Amtrak, but the guy has been Sunrail's biggest supporter and the articles are littered all over our transportation section.  Here are a few links on Mica and commuter rail.

Mica seeks support for $650M rail project  
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4389.0.html
http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/02/02/daily47.html

SunRail back on Track
http://www.cityoforlando.net/Elected/mayor/pressreleases/09_06_29_sunrail.htm

Mica pushes government regulation of Amtrak
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/10/27/daily31.html

Congressman Mica perseveres on commuter rail
http://www.examiner.com/x-5325-Orlando-Republican-Examiner~y2009m6d9-Congressman-Mica-perseveres-on-commuter-rail

U.S. Representative John Mica, a proponent of the now defunct Sunrail commuter train system, has not given up on the idea of bringing public transportation railways to the Central Florida area. At an ‘eggs and issues’ forum sponsored by the Daytona Beach-Halifax area chamber of commerce, the Winter Park Republican Congressman stated that he’s not closing the door on commuter rail.

During the course of his speech at yesterday’s event, he announced that he’d earmarked an additional $24 million in the six-year federal transportation authorization bill for building a second station in Volusia County, in addition to the one currently authorized in DeBary. The money would also finance a study of the feasibility of extending the line to East Volusia.
Congressman Mica said that he supports commuter rail because it is cheaper than building an additional two lanes on I-4. According to him, widening 20 miles of the Interstate highway around the Orlando area would cost $3 billion, while purchasing 61.5 miles of track from CSX and developing a commuter rail system would cost $2.7 billion. Such a system could move 13,000 commuters per hour, as opposed to 2,000 cars on an expanded I-4 expressway.

[thelakelander]

That's about it for me in this thread.  Either you like the guy or you don't.  Personally, as long as he is not actively lobbying against feasible rail projects in this state, he does not bother me.

[FayeforCure]

The lakelander,......as a rail enthusist, Mica's disdain for Amtrak doesn't bother you?

So the federal intervention on behalf of the national railroad was a failed one. But all is not lost on high speed. As has already been pointed out, Amtrak doesn’t have to do that much to upgrade the Northeast Corridor to higher speeds. And the service is already popular: it accounted for 50% of travel (air and rail) between Boston and New York at the end of 2007, and much more between Washington and New York. This market share would increase even with incremental decreases in travel time.

But Amtrak CEO Alex Kummant has argued that 200-mph service on the Northeast Corridor is simply unlikely because no one is willing to provide the billions of dollars required to build new tracks and a new right-of-way that would be required to envision speeds that high. That may be true. But Florida Representative John Mica, who sees Amtrak as “Soviet-style” rail transport because it is a “government monopoly,” has introduced a solution: a declaration of willingness to accept private bids for new service between Washington and New York in less than two hours. Considering that every other high speed rail system in the world has been initiated through government investment, such private bids seem unlikely.

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2008/10/25/fast-forward/

HMMMM, Mica doesn't mind a CSX monopoly though, does he?!?!