BuckeyeBlog

Gongwer News Service($) reports that Ohio’s passenger rail plans are already costing more than anticipated. In a split vote, the Controlling Board approved a $200,000 increase in the amount being paid to a California consulting firm to analyze the feasibility of passenger rail service. The Controlling Board  approved $450,000 in March to pay for this contract.

The amount approved for this contract is the first in many expenditures by the state on passenger rail service. It’s a pretty bad sign for taxpayers when this first expenditure has to be increased by 44% in only five months. It is a good example of exactly how this passenger rail push will work, though. As various parts of the plan unfold, the government will say each costs a certain amount and then that amount will be revised upwards later. It’s pretty clear this project will require far more from state taxpayers than the current estimates of $10 million in yearly subsidies.