DEAR EDITOR:
Congress has stripped local and state government of all
authority over class I railroads like Union Pacific. As they did
with trucking, both interstate and intrastate, the federal
government is the only jurisdiction with authority over the
railroads.
DEAR EDITOR:
Congress has stripped local and state government of all authority over class I railroads like Union Pacific. As they did with trucking, both interstate and intrastate, the federal government is the only jurisdiction with authority over the railroads.
This aspect of federal preemption is not up for debate in the Administration’s proposed replacement for Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (“TEA-21”), the so-called SAFETEA (Safe, Affordable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act of 2003, H.R. 2088, which is currently proposing transportation infrastructure appropriations of $385 billion over six years. Details over the scope of federal preemption are being hammered-out by the transportation bar.
Things could be allot worse: We could be hearing Rod Diridon’s bullet train’s horn bearing down on taxpayers and small business owners going bankrupt in downtown Gilroy. Caveat Viator!
Joseph P. Thompson, Gilroy
Submitted Wednesday, Oct. 8
