HELP KEEP AMTRAK GOING
Los Angeles City Council Member Tom LaBonge and Paul Dyson, president of the Rail Passenger Assn. of California, held a joint press conference at LA Union Station on July 13.

Councilmember LaBonge received unanimous council support on July 13 for a City resolution supporting U.S. Senate bill S 294 that would fund Amtrak through 2012. Mr. Dyson pointed out that “Amtrak, the nation’s passenger rail line, operates the popular Pacific Surfliner trains from San Diego to San Luis Obispo that carries nearly a quarter million passengers a month.” Mr. LaBonge added, “In our heavily congested region when more people than ever seek alternatives to traveling our crowded freeways, we cannot lose Amtrak. S. 294’s price tag is $1.2 billion for six years. It has bi-partisan support in Congress.”