In a 180 degree flip-flop Governor Chris Sununu now supports a subsidized commuter rail system in southern New Hampshire. Not only is this political but it demonstrates an unbalanced if not biased policy towards the use of rail in this state.
"New Hampshire's groundbreaking Amazon proposal has demonstrated the need to study potential options." Sununu says in support of yet another feasibility study to throw millions of dollars to move, at most, 2900 people a day from Boston to Nashua, Manchester and Concord.
As an example of this bias New Hampshire owns over 170 miles of active freight rail lines that could be independently profitable if they were marketed correctly but they aren't. Instead, first term Governor Sununu prefers shiny passenger trains running through politically valuable re-election areas.
The Concord to Lincoln rail line goes right through the Lakes Region and could support everything from microbreweries to the manufacture of 3D printed steel. The state does nothing.
And Governor Sununu isn't alone in his policy towards the use of rail in New Hampshire. Neither DOT Commissioner Victoria Sheehan or BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell have any interest in rail. This is despite millions of dollars in taxbase and good jobs that would be created through the strategic use of state owned rail lines going to the New England states and Canada. The state is doing nothing.
The legislature would be doing the right thing in killing the commuter rail legislation. New Hampshire has a political and unbalanced policy towards rail which isn't fair.
"New Hampshire's groundbreaking Amazon proposal has demonstrated the need to study potential options." Sununu says in support of yet another feasibility study to throw millions of dollars to move, at most, 2900 people a day from Boston to Nashua, Manchester and Concord.
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| New Hampshire has a questionable if not biased position towards rail. |
As an example of this bias New Hampshire owns over 170 miles of active freight rail lines that could be independently profitable if they were marketed correctly but they aren't. Instead, first term Governor Sununu prefers shiny passenger trains running through politically valuable re-election areas.
The Concord to Lincoln rail line goes right through the Lakes Region and could support everything from microbreweries to the manufacture of 3D printed steel. The state does nothing.
And Governor Sununu isn't alone in his policy towards the use of rail in New Hampshire. Neither DOT Commissioner Victoria Sheehan or BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell have any interest in rail. This is despite millions of dollars in taxbase and good jobs that would be created through the strategic use of state owned rail lines going to the New England states and Canada. The state is doing nothing.
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| The State Is Doing Nothing. No Jobs Created. |
The legislature would be doing the right thing in killing the commuter rail legislation. New Hampshire has a political and unbalanced policy towards rail which isn't fair.
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