Brindisi: Trump Budget Would Derail Utica And Rome Amtrak Service

Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi is calling on New York's Congressional delegation to reject the proposed 2019 federal budget that he says could effectively end long-distance rail travel in the northeast.

Brindisi says the budget would slash Amtrak funding from $1.4 billion to $738 million.  $128
million in funding would also be cut for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

Brindis says that pot of money directly funds Utica and Rome rail service and links Utica and Rome with Albany, New York City, and Buffalo.

“Simply put, the White House’s 2019 budget would derail our local Amtrak service and put our community in the crosshairs of egregious and unnecessary new costs,” said Brindisi. “Not only does the proposal dramatically slash federal funding for Amtrak—it also shifts much of the funding responsibility to states and localities at a time when they already are shouldering over three quarters of the burden of infrastructure funding in our country.  With New York already reeling from the recent effects of the Republican tax bill, it’s outrageous that New York would be asked to pick up much of the tab for rail service, which would mean even higher taxes for Mohawk Valley residents.”

Brindisi says he'll work day and night to stop the senseless cuts to critical train service.