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Open letter to readers: Today and tomorrow

By Lynda Waddington | 11.17.11

Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.

ACS lockout continues; plan emerges to repeal sugar protections

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By Virginia Chamlee | 11.15.11

A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.

Cain campaign: Farmers know more about regulations than EPA

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By Andrew Duffelmeyer | 11.15.11

The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.

Mathis wins, Democrats maintain Senate control

Liz Mathis
By Lynda Waddington | 11.08.11

The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.

Press Release

PR: Nation should work to address veterans’ challenges

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.

PR: Honoring veterans, help in hiring

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.

PR: In honor of America’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.

PR: Honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.

rail

Republican budget plan could derail Iowa City-Chicago line

By Adam B Sullivan | 01.03.11 | 1:52 pm

Indecision from the governor-elect and a new round of budget cut proposals from Iowa Republicans could be damning for a two-year-old plan to build a high-speed passenger rail line between Iowa City and Chicago.

Last year, Iowa lawmakers approved money for rail projects in order to leverage federal funding. In October, a proposed line between Iowa City and Chicago earned $230 million in federal funding, but Iowa and Illinois would still have to come up with $90 million to build the high-speed rail. But Iowa House Republicans’ new budget plan includes eliminating the $8.5 million already committed to passenger rail projects.

Additionally, incoming Gov. Terry Branstad has said he’s not sure he wants to go ahead with the project. “I’ve said I want to carefully review it and look at whether it’s cost-effective or not, get the best information we can before making a decision,” Branstad told WQAD last month.

The plan has been pushed fiercely by Democrats and commerce officials in Eastern Iowa. Preliminary plans for the line have brewed since the beginning of 2009 when President Obama signed the stimulus law. Governors from Iowa, Illinois, and at least seven other Midwestern states have banded together to lobby for passenger rail projects. Officials here also plan to eventually connect the Iowa City-Chicago line to Des Moines and Omaha.

Incoming governors from Ohio and Wisconsin have announced plans to squelch similar plans in their states. Opponents of passenger rail projects point out Amtrak’s huge operating deficits.

Follow Adam B Sullivan on Twitter


Comments

  • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

    These republicans are so obviously stupid. They got elected saying how they want to create jobs and how they hate the government….yet they still run and when they get elected they do job killing things like this…they are going to try and kill a job creating project and a great idea for public transportation and something that would create a line between Chicago- the QCA- and Iowa City, which would be used extensively.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NOKAK234MJQOUEGZYEIZD4WGO4 Cab rider

    I think it would be great to have a train to ride, but I don’t think it is going to work.

    The cost per ticket is suppose to be about $42 each way (which doesn’t include addition costs to get to and from the train). At that price no one with a car is going to use it because it is faster and cheaper to drive a car. It is especially not feasible if 2 or more people are traveling together – $164+ for the train vs. $50-75 by car (round trip).

    To the jobs creation point – If we only create 600 jobs with $300 million, I think we can find better ways to create jobs than spending $500,000 per job. Also since no one is going to ride it at the estimated prices, they are also only temporary jobs.

    There is a reason why passenger rail service ended in IC in 1970 and that is because of the improvement in cars and the interstates.

    I am glad the GOP is questioning how practical this project is.

    • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

      Um, no. Have you ever lived in Iowa City? You don’t need a car to get around there. I lived there for four and a half years. I didn’t own a car. So for you to say that it is easier to go by car…you first need a car. But you have to realize that not everyone in Iowa City has a car. Many are from the Chicago area, I am from Davenport, and don’t want to have the burden of having a car whilst in school. It is very costly. I couldn’t afford one, let alone paying for a spot to park it, all the while paying for school tuition, books, rent, electricity, water, etc etc. So that’s why Iowa City’s great public transportation is booming today. And this train route would be a money-making enterprise that will create jobs not only in that business, but in the surrounding communities. Jobs are jobs. You shouldn’t be so picky. The republicans are now suddenly concerned about sending because people are too dumb to remember how we got here. Unpaid-for tax cuts, two unpaid-for wars, an awful education program, and the deregulation of the US financial industry. Those price estimates sound bogus also. It costs 35 to use the Burlington Trailways from Iowa City through Davenport, so actually that seems cheap. Perhaps live that life and use those services before criticizing a good idea just because of gop talking points.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NOKAK234MJQOUEGZYEIZD4WGO4 Cab rider

        I am basing the $42 of off KWWL’s report (also saw it somewhere else, but this is the first one I found).
        http://www.kwwl.com/global/story.asp?s=10552911

        I have lived through college life and I am well aware of all the costs and hardships, but I am also well aware of how frustrating it is to see my tax dollars wasted in the decade following my college years.

        If this is a money maker, then why are the railroads not putting up the $300 million? Or better yet, why did the rail line that did run up until 1970 go out of business? If anything cars and interstates are much better than they were in 1970. Trains are great in high traffic/density areas like Chicago, but when they cost more and are slower than a car there is not motivation to switch. I just took 10 train rides over the weekend in Chicago, but that is because it made sense to do it then.

        We don’t have money for this anymore than we do the wars and etc you mentioned, so why add to the national debt with a plan that will fail or at a minimum continue to milk tax dollars through subsidies to keep it running.

        I certainly agree it would be a great option for the Chicago native U of I students or any one else in the area that doesn’t have a car, but I don’t see there being enough of them. I go into Chicago 5 times a years, so I would love to ride the train than drive, but the numbers are just not going to work.

        • Anonymous

          This is national infrastructure – a stepping stone to a coast to coast high speed railway system. It’s a pity that the states with the smaller populations completely f*ck up national infrastructure projects with their lack of vision and small town mentality.

          Take off your blinders. With energy costs set to explode much sooner than you think we can’t afford not to do this.

    • http://twitter.com/splitnine Splitnine

      “it is faster and cheaper to drive a car. It is especially not feasible if 2 or more people are traveling together – $164+ for the train vs. $50-75 by car (round trip).”

      Do you plan on parking while in Chicago? $5 per hour downtown at the meters, or $50 overnight in a garage. And to refill on gas before you head back to Iowa, you’re looking at $3.40 per gallon…..Now the pricing is comparable, if not better to travel by rail. Plus you have 4 hours to relax instead of fighting traffic and bad weather!

    • Anonymous

      it’s not about replacing cars. it’s an alternative.

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