One has to wonder if anyone ever got anywhere before their was taxpayer subsidized mass transit, based on what Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D MN) said after $160 odd million of Federal taxpayer money was handed over (plus State and local taxpayers are picking up the other half) for a commuter rail project that goes roughly half way to St. Cloud.

Moments after Thomas Barrett, the U.S. deputy secretary of transportation, signed an agreement Tuesday committing $156.8 million in federal funding toward the $320 million Northstar line, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said what others have hoped for a decade:

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,” she said from Washington in a taped message that was played to an audience that included Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Congressman Keith Ellison, state legislators, and officials from the three counties involved, Anoka, Hennepin and Sherburne.

As I said, it doesn’t go to St. Cloud.

(graphic: Strib)

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: But it doesn’t go to St. Cloud.

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: But it doesn’t go all the way there Senator.

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: But…

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: We could easily drive there by car.

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: Are you saying you plan to secure funding to extend the line all the way to St. Cloud?

“I want it to go to St. Cloud,”

BC: Sheesh, you’re worse than my wife. Let’s go now before they laugh.

Big Lake, is only half way to St. Cloud Senator Klobuchar!

In other words, count on spending another $350 million for a train when there is a perfectly collapsed bridge to replace.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 at 8:10 pm and is filed under A-Klo, Minnesota, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.