The 2011 budget fight is gearing up, so in that spirit, let's talk about the federal budget and needs for that long time netroots favorite: the supertrain.
In short, $8 billion for high speed rail was allocated from last year's Recovery Act, with President Obama's budget for 2011 calling for another $1 billion. Meanwhile, the states have proposed $55 billion in high speed rail projects, and last year, the stalled House transportation bill would have included $50 billion for these projects. That puts the administration about $40 billion under what the states and the House wanted, and for a number of reasons, I'd have to side with the states and the House.
A House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing featuring two low-profile cabinet members won't make a splash even on a slow-news day, and certainly not when a juicy story like the AIG outrage has so many angles to explore.
But take my word for it: big news came out of yesterday's Congressional testimony by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood. The cabinet secretaries announced
a new partnership to help American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs. The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its budget on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses for American families. Donovan and LaHood want to seek ways to cut these costs by focusing their efforts on creating affordable, sustainable communities.
I explain why this is important and welcome news after the jump.
STATE BLOGS
