Passenger Trains > What's in it for me if we get rid of the long distance trains?

If Amtrak didn't need any federal tax money we would not care. I am a stakeholder because I pay a lot of federal income tax.
So, if all the LDTs are eliminated how much tax refund do I get? (I don't get any now) Will it be enough to offset the money the feds take for Medicare which I have never used? Enough for me to buy a new dress shirt? Tee shirt? What if they got rid of all of Amtrak and sold all the assets and gave me my taxpayer pro rata share? Could I live tax free for a year?

When Canada got out of the rail transportation business (not the experiential rail experience)in western Canada in the 90s what was the average Canadian's taxpayer cash benefit?

Mexico had mucho passenger trains in the 1980s. Now they have none. (Copper Canyon OK). How many additional pesos did the individual Mexican add to his pocket in the deal?

Are the new "improvements" over at Amtrak really about dough or show?

P.S. If we sold the interstates to toll road companies and I got my share of that how many gallons of tax free gas could I buy?

$4.61 based on our estimated population of 325.7 million and a 1.5 billion Amtrak operating subsidy.

Unless you plan to die young or are extremely wealthy you will eventually use Medicare...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Thank you Railpax71. MojaveBill if you work until you die no matter how long you live you will always pay into Medicare.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/18 15:42 by mt-king.

The Treasury has been very, very good to me and I hope it continues to be for a very, very long time. Thanks to all who keep the trough full.

You are welcome. Money well spent. It has been a pleasure because of your interest in and contributions to trains.

Amtrak isn’t giving any of it’s appropriations back, so the taxpayer gets nothing...

Unless you hate passenger trains, then you get the self satisfaction of watching one getting killed off, I suppose...

Meanwhile, billion dollar corporations pay no taxes, and rural New Mexico and Colorado get screwed out of a well used form of public transportation...

None of this has to do with “looking out for the taxpayer” or “safety”...

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/18 20:46 by ats90mph.

MojaveBill and ats90mph --
Thank you for your very well-said posts. AMEN!

mt-king --
I suppose you were merely curious -- right? I sure hope so! Please remember -- taxes are the price we pay to live in a civilized society -- one which cares about everyone, and really does "promote the general welfare" and helps the needy and vulnerable. Amtrak's annual appropriation is an extremely tiny percentage of the federal budget, It is to the total federal budget what $1.90 is to more than $4,407, while the annual appropriations for the "biggies" are to the total federal budget what ~$900 is to that $4,407, and others are ~$300. (When you leave off all the zeroes all those huge numbers have in common.)

Railpax71 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $4.61 based on our estimated population of 325.7
> million and a 1.5 billion Amtrak operating
> subsidy.


$4.61...huh.....I will give 100.00 of mine to Amtrak...

I've given Amtrak upwards of $1,000 a year to support the LD trains, and they still see me as a liability.

Until the current management and Board of Directors leaves Amtrak, I will not be riding. Unfortunately, considering the current situation in DC, we might be stuck with the current Board for another 4 years (longer if Trump is re-elected).

Legislation passed by Congress and signed by the president at the end of last year cut taxes (at least temporarily). Most economists expect the tax cuts to result in huge deficits. Whatever money would be saved by elimination of long-distance train will be eaten up by the deficit. Thus, whether Amtrak long-distance trains are eliminated or continued to run will have zero impact on the amount individuals pay in federal taxes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/18 09:33 by RuleG.

What about all the tax dollars that gonto the airlines? Highways? Why is it OK to spend BILLIONS on them but not rail? The playing field needs to be level. 

to answer your question:

NOTHING, since our future entitlements (social security, medicare/medicaid, and the health care law) will eventually need to be paid for........

66

chrsjrcj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Until the current management and Board of
> Directors leaves Amtrak, I will not be riding.
> Unfortunately, considering the current situation
> in DC, we might be stuck with the current Board
> for another 4 years (longer if Trump is
> re-elected).

I waited the entire day to see if anyone was going to call you out on this one, and nobody did. The Snark Peanut Gallery here on TO is overrated, as they only care about ranting about their "side", not facts.

Nothing personal, but 6 of 8 board members are Obama appointees. One of the 6 was a George W. Bush appointee who got reappointed. My point? Next election result has very little influence on Amtrak's future, because the current board is somewhat incompetent, and that's based on a quick look at their backgrounds. Elaine Chao's previous stint as an Assistant Secretary of Transportation makes her look overqualified! :-)

I hate entitlements but Medicare has kept me from losing ever thing i have worked for all my life, Self employed Non union worker or gov. implied .

The subject of this post is quite narcissistic, IMHO.