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"We believe that dependable train
service is an essential component of the state's transportation
system. Linking communities with fast, frequent and dependable
trains will strengthen our economy by making Illinois a more
attractive place to live and do business."
Because much work already has been
done to improve the Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis corridor, the
officials agreed that completing this corridor is "the first step in
improving passenger rail service for the entire state." The
officials specifically ask the governor to take the following
actions:
- Push to implement the Chicago
Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency program. This
$1.5 billion set of projects already has the support of the
privately owned railroads, the city of Chicago and the state of
Illinois.
- Aggressively pursue federal
funding to complete the Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis rail
corridor. Once improvements are made, travel time between Chicago
and St. Louis will be approximately 3½ hours, more than two hours
faster than by car.
- Provide sufficient funding in the
state's coming budget to add two more Amtrak round trips daily on
the Chicago-St. Louis corridor.
Officials signing on to the letter
represented the geographic and political breadth of Illinois. They
range from small-town Republican mayors to Democratic Chicago City
Council members. A complete list of the
officials is below.
"This letter demonstrates the
breadth of support throughout Illinois for better passenger rail,"
observed Kevin Brubaker at the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
"We look forward to working with Governor Blagojevich to develop
this essential travel and economic development resource in our
state."
"Amtrak ridership has reached record
levels and is continuing to grow, without any major service
improvements. Now it is time to invest in better service by
operating more trains on faster schedules," said Rick Harnish,
executive director of the Midwest High-Speed Rail Coalition.
Community, official, title
Addison,
Harry Theodore, trustee
Addison,
Larry Hartwig, mayor
Addison,
Tom Hundley, trustee
Addison,
William Lynch, trustee
Alsip,
James T. Quinn, trustee
Alton,
Donald Sandidge, mayor
Argenta,
Brad Hunter, mayor
Arlington
Heights, Virginia Z. Kucera, trustee
Assumption, Marilyn D. Ashinhurst, clerk
Bartonville, Jane McGinn, trustee
Bartonville, Jim Flud, trustee
Bartonville, Leon Ricca, trustee
Beach
Park, Jane Ochoa, trustee
Beardstown, Leslie A. Harris, trustee
Bethany,
Becky Marshall, trustee
Bethany,
Greg McClain, trustee
Bethany,
John Felter, village president
Bloomington, Judy Markowitz, mayor
Bolingbrook, Carol S. Penning, village clerk
Bourbonnais, Scott Byrne, trustee
Bradley,
Bruce Adams, trustee
Braidwood, Wayne Saltzman, mayor
Bridgeview, Harold Robish, trustee
Bridgeview, James Cecott, trustee
Bridgeview, Mary Sutton, trustee
Bridgeview, Norma Pinion, trustee
Broadview, Henry Vicenik, mayor
Brookfield, Bill Russ, village president
Brookfield, John Dolasinski, trustee
Brookfield, Will Brennan, trustee
Byron,
Kathryn A. Hamas, mayor
Byron,
Scott Nason, trustee
Calumet
Park, Buster B. Porch, mayor
Calumet
Park, Geraldine R. Galvin, village clerk
Capron,
Judy Benson, trustee
Centerville, Larry Wynn, alderman
Centralia, John Stuehmeier, mayor
Champaign, Jerry Schweighart, mayor
Channahon, Joe Cook, village president
Charleston, Dan Cougill, mayor
Chicago,
Anthony Beale, alderman
Chicago,
Burt Natarus, alderman
Chicago
Ridge, Daniel Badon, trustee
Chillicothe, Sharon A. Crabel, city clerk
Clay
City, Trevor E. Bissey, village president
Coal
Valley, Michael D. Bealer, trustee
Columbia,
Lester Schneider, mayor
Cortland,
Town of, Ben Suppeland, mayor
Coulterville, William C. Jarrett, mayor
Crest
Hill, Scott Dyke, alderman
Davis
Junction, Brenda Ognibene, trustee
Davis
Junction, Dennis Schumacher, trustee
Davis
Junction, Sheryl Hawley, village clerk
Decatur,
Paul Osborne, mayor
DeKalb,
Steve Kapitan, alderman
Delevan,
Charles Denman, mayor
Delevan,
Penny L. Bright, clerk
Dixon,
Roy Bridgeman, commissioner
East
Dundee, Roger Ahrens, mayor and trustee
East
Peoria, Charles F. Dobbelaire, mayor
Edwardsville, Janet Haroian, alderman
Effingham, Robert F. Utz, mayor
Eureka,
Laura Siscoe, mayor
Eureka,
Lynn Hinnen, city treasurer
Eureka,
Matt Hinnen, alderman
Evergreen
Park, Jerry Bosch, trustee
Fairbury,
Robert P. Walter Jr., mayor
Flora,
Charles A. Crowder, mayor
Flora,
Norman Henderson, commissioner
Ford
Heights, Steve Simpson, trustee
Fox Lake,
Nancy E. Koske, mayor
Fox Lake,
Terri Zawada, trustee
Freeport,
James L. Gitz, mayor
Granite
City, Bill Davis, alderman
Granite
City, Donald Thompson, alderman
Granite
City, Michael Skoklo, alderman
Hainsville, Kelly Hensley, treasurer
Hainsville, Mark A. Gottsacker, trustee
Hanover
Park, Rodney Craig, trustee
Hanover
Park, Wesley E. Eby, trustee
Harwood
Heights, Mark S. Dobrzycki, trustee
Hickory
Hills, Michael Howley, mayor
Hillsboro, Terry L. Richmond, commissioner
Hoffman
Estates, Edwin L. Frank, trustee
Hometown,
Brian Barnhouse, alderman
Hometown,
Michael A. Madden, city treasurer
Hometown,
Spencer Touchie, alderman
Homewood,
Richard Hofeld, village president
Jacksonville, Robert Northrop, alderman
Joliet,
Arthur Shultz, mayor
Kankakee,
Carl Brown, alderman
Kankakee,
Donald Green, mayor
Kankakee,
Jess Gathing, alderman
Kankakee,
Steven J. Hunter, alderman
Kewanee,
James P. Burns, mayor
Lemont,
Steve Rosendahl, trustee
Lewiston,
Carla Beyers, treasurer
Lisle,
Ann Duker, trustee
Litchfield, David Schwab, trustee
Litchfield, Greg L. Beiermann, trustee
Loves
Park, Clint W. Little, alderman
Lynwood,
Roel Valle, trustee
Lyons,
Gary Benedik, trustee
[to top of second column in
this article] |
Machesney
Park, Diana M. Johnson, trustee
Machesney
Park, Paul J. Stralow, trustee
Macomb,
Mick Wisslead, mayor
Madison,
Alexis Rozycke-Lux, city clerk
Madison,
Tyrone Treadway Jr., alderman
Manhattan, James Doyle, village president
Manhattan, Michael R. Naughton, trustee
Marion,
Robert L. Butler, mayor
Maryville, Larry Gulledge, mayor
Maryville, Rod Schmidt, trustee
Maryville, Todd Bell, trustee
Mascoutah, Jerry Daugtherty, mayor
Mascoutah, John "Jack" Weyan, councilman
Mascoutah, Kari D. Speir, city clerk
Matteson,
Allan Johnson, trustee
Minooka,
Dick Ellis, mayor
Minooka,
Pat Brennan, trustee
Moline,
Stan Leach, mayor
Monee,
David Stockton, trustee
Monee,
Kathleen M. Buchmeier, clerk
Monee,
Kelly Jensen, trustee
Monmouth,
Dan Burgland, trustee
Monmouth,
Dave Smith, trustee
Morrisonville, Jim Kelmel, trustee
Mount
Auburn, Jerry Seymour, mayor
Mount
Vernon, Milton R. Sees, mayor
Mundelein, Ed Sullivan, trustee
Neoga,
Diana Foor, treasurer
North
Utica, Angela Brown, clerk
North
Utica, Patrick Flynn, trustee
Oak Lawn,
Ronald M. Stancik, acting village president and trustee
Oblong,
Jan Miller, trustee
Oblong,
Keith Waldrop, mayor
O'Fallon,
Dave Waters, alderman
O'Fallon,
Jerry Mouser, alderman
O'Fallon,
Ned Drolet, alderman
O'Fallon,
Rick Reckamp, alderman
Oreana,
David Ward, trustee
Oregon,
Mike Bowers, commissioner
Oregon,
Thomas Stone, mayor
Orland
Hills, Calvin S. Million, trustee
Orland
Park, Edward G. Schussler, III, trustee
Palos
Hills, Andrew J. Cisarik, alderman
Palos
Hills, Frank Williams, alderman
Paris,
Margaret Thomason, commissioner
Park
City, Steve Pannell, mayor
Paxton,
Rick Wolfe, alderman
Peoria,
David Ransburg, mayor
Peoria
Heights, Andrea K. Pendleton, trustee
Peru, Joe
Mikyska, trustee
Peru,
John O'Beirne, alderman
Peru,
Judy Heuser, clerk
Plainfield, Stephen Thomson, trustee
Plano,
Bill Roberts, mayor
Plano,
David C. Limon, alderman
Plano,
Dee LeCuyer, alderman
Plano,
Janet Goehst, treasurer
Plano,
Mark C., alderman
Plano,
Scott E., alderman
Pontiac,
Betty Jane Pouliot, alderman
Pontiac,
Donovan Gardner, alderman
Pontiac,
G. Michael Ingles, mayor
Pontiac,
John McGlassen, alderman
Princeton, mayor
Quincy,
Charles W. Scholz, mayor
Quincy,
Paul Havermale, alderman
Richton
Park, Valerie Babka, trustee
Riverdale, Joyce E. Forbes, village clerk
Riverdale, Zenovia G. Evans, mayor
Robbins,
Jesse Shears, commissioner
Robbins,
Lillian Dunn Barker, commissioner
Robbins,
Lynnie Johnson, trustee
Robbins,
Pamela James, clerk
Rock
Island, David A. Conroy, alderman
Rock
Island, Mark Schwiebert, mayor
Rockdale,
Robert Scheidt, trustee
Rockdale,
Samuel Wyke, trustee
Rockford,
Doug Scott, mayor
Rockton,
Dale Adams, village president
Round
Lake Beach, Gina M. Miosi, trustee
Round
Lake Beach, Larry T. Mount, trustee
Round
Lake Park, Ila M. Bauer, mayor
Roxana,
Brenda Cermak, trustee
Roxana,
Samuel R. Herudon, trustee
Salem,
Harold L. Blank, councilman
Savoy,
Robert C. McCleary, village president
Schaumburg, Al Larson, village president
Schram
City, Janet K. Stewart, clerk
Schram
City, Kevin Stewart, trustee
Schram
City, Lois Gunn, trustee
Schram
City, Sam Whitlow, trustee
Smithtown, Brian L. Vielweber, police chief
Smithtown, Virgil J. Becker, mayor
South
Chicago Heights, Michael Tilton, trustee
South
Holland, Cindy Doorn, trustee
South
Holland, Don A. DeGraff, village president
South
Holland, James H. Veld, trustee
Spring
Valley, Joseph A. Taliano, mayor
Springfield, Timothy Davlin, mayor
St.
Charles, Art Lemke, alderman
St.
Joseph, B.J. Hackler, mayor
Staunton,
Marilyn A. Herbeck, clerk
Steger,
Louis Sherman, village president
Sterling,
Barry L. Cox, alderman
Sterling,
Ted Aggen, mayor
Sterling,
Wally Adell, alderman
Sugar
Grove, Joseph Wolf, trustee
Summit,
Joe Strzelckyk, mayor
Swansea,
Skip Kernan, trustee
Taylorville, Bruce Jones, alderman
Taylorville, Earl Walters, alderman
Thornton,
Cheryl B. Lehmwald, clerk
Thornton,
Jack C. Swan, village president
Thornton,
Max E. Salmon, chair of P&D Commission
University Park, James Ellis, treasurer
Urbana,
Tod Satterthwaite, mayor
Vandalia,
Marjorie Blythe, treasurer
Venice,
Celestine Williams, alderman
Villa
Park, Rae Rupp, village president
Warrenville, Christopher Stull, alderman
Warrenville, Vivian M. Lund, mayor
Washington Park, Sherman Sorrell, mayor
Waterloo,
Terry Kipping, mayor
Wauconda,
Patrick Murphy, trustee
Waukegan,
Samuel D. Cunningham Jr., alderman
Westmont,
Nancy J. Martens, trustee
Westmont,
Susann K. Senicka, trustee
Westmont,
Virginia Szymski, clerk
Winnebago, Steve Butler, trustee
Wood
River, Cheryl Maguire, councilwoman
Wood
River, David Ayers, mayor
Woodbridge, Mary Ann Frank, trustee
Yorkville, Joe Besco, alderman
Yorkville, Paul James, alderman
Yorkville, Rose Spears, alderman
Yorkville, Valerie Burd, alderman
[News release from the
Environmental Law & Policy Center] |
