Committment for Amtrak Operating FundsMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Commitment for Amtrak Operating Funds
DATE: March 9, 2011
Amtrak passenger rail service returning to Dubuque, connecting to the City of Chicago,
was one of the 10 projects the community selected through the Envision 2010 process.
The City Council has a goal of improved connectivity and has supported the return of
passenger rail service.
The State of Illinois has budgeted $60 million to rebuild the railroad tracks. A condition
to moving ahead with this project is that the State of Iowa must commit to providing
$550,000, a share of the annual operating subsidy, beginning in Fiscal Year 2014. The
State of Iowa has challenged local governments to provide 50% of the annual subsidy,
or $275,000.
Dubuque County has committed to providing 16.5% ($90,750). Other communities in
the County will be approached to provide 8.5% of the subsidy ($46,750).
respectfully recommend that the Mayor and City Council commit 25% of the subsidy
($137,500) beginning in Fiscal Year 2014.
u. ffi
ichael C. Van Milligen
Dubuque
AII•America City
hli
2007
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Kelley Deutmeyer, Executive Director, East Central Intergovernmental
Association
Chandra Ravada, Co- Director of Transportation and Planning, East Central
Intergovernmental Association
Sue Hafkemeyer, Ride the Rail Coordinator
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Nancy Richardson, Director
The Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, Iowa 50010
RDB:tg
Dear Ms. Richardson:
Dubuque
k
All- AmericaCity
2007
Re: Commitment for Amtrak operating funds
March 9, 2011
Roy D. Buol
Mayor
Office of the Mayor
City Hall
50 West 13` Street
Dubuque, IA 52001 -4864
www.cityofdubuque.org
On behalf of the City of Dubuque, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, and local governments
of DMATS, please accept this letter as a pledge of our collective commitment to provide a portion of
the required operating funding needed for the proposed Chicago to Dubuque Passenger Rail Project.
We are aware the Illinois Department of Transportation has committed $60 million in the Illinois State
budget to reconstruct intercity passenger rail service from Chicago to Dubuque. The City of Dubuque,
Dubuque County, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, the Dubuque Area Chamber
of Commerce, local colleges, University of Wisconsin - Platteville, and nearly 30,000 tri -state citizens
and organizations have indicated their support for the return of passenger rail to Iowa on the Chicago -
Dubuque route.
This project will allow Iowa to fulfill its vision for expanded passenger rail service, as documented in
the State's Rail Plan, the State Transportation Plan, and the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative. The
completion of this project will also achieve one of the ten Envision 2010 goals - the return of
passenger rail to Dubuque. For the past 10 years, one of the top 5 goals of the City Council has been
Improved Connectivity. In 2010, under the City's Management Agenda, support of Passenger Rail
was listed as a High Priority.
It is our understanding that Governor Branstad has requested there be a local financial commitment to
the ongoing operation costs for the passenger rail service project in order for the project to proceed.
Please accept this letter as a demonstration of our commitment to the financing proposal that was
outlined by the Iowa Department of Transportation wherein the local governments were asked to
provide 50% of the subsidy cost for the Chicago- Dubuque route. We are prepared to meet this
financial commitment. This commitment is being made several years before the actual passenger rail
service (FY2014) will be implemented.
We government entities, the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, and the local governments of
Dubuque County will invest in the operation of the passenger rail service to Dubuque, Iowa.
Sincerely,
Mike Van Milligen - Iowa passenger rail operating subsidy - local contributions
From: "White, Cheryl [DOT]" <Cheryl.White @dot.iowa.gov>
To: "'ctymgr @cityofdubuque.org "' <ctymgr @cityofdubuque.org >, "'wdemmer @dbqco...
Date: 3/1/2011 12:55 PM
Subject: Iowa passenger rail operating subsidy - local contributions
CC: "'teri53 @aol.com"' <teri53 @aol.com >, "'CRavada @ecia.org "' <CRavada @ecia....
Dear Dubuque Metro Area /Dubuque County Leadership:
The states of Iowa and Illinois received a federal High -Speed Intercity Passenger Rail grant of $230 million to implement
passenger rail service from Chicago to Iowa City. Iowa is also partnering with Illinois DOT to implement new passenger rail
service from Chicago to Dubuque. As we have communicated with many of you previously, state policy- makers and funders
have expressed concerns regarding the ongoing operating support that expanded passenger rail serving Iowa will require.
As a result, the Iowa Department of Transportation is preparing a business plan that identifies funding sources for an
estimated $3 million annual operating costs for Chicago to Iowa City and an estimated $550,000 annual operating costs for
Chicago to Dubuque. Iowa's business plan must be complete by March 18 and will be presented to Governor Branstad on
March 21.
Many of you or your local representatives attended a brainstorming workshop on February 24 where potential funding
sources were explored and a broad strategy outlined on how to meet that challenge. As we discussed, the state, local
government and the private sector all have a role to play in that strategy.
In follow -up to the workshop and in support for the business plan, we are asking that each community or locality assist in
identifying resources from local government or private sources to pay their fair share of an allocated amount.
The allocation for Chicago to Dubuque is based on the following:
• $550,000 annual operating subsidy (Iowa share).
• Iowa DOT will identify 50 %, or $275,000, in state or federal transportation funding.
• Dubuque County and surrounding communities are expected to receive the most local benefits from the
service based on proximity of the service and station in Dubuque.
• The Dubuque area will be expected to pay 50% of the subsidy, or $275,000 annually.
Cities, Dubuque County, chambers of commerce, MPOs, RPAs, local business leaders and others are asked to work together
and by March 14 provide the Iowa DOT a plan to obtain their prorated allocation, along with supporting letters of
commitment (if possible) or a statement of intent to include in the business plan.
My staff will be contacting you to schedule a conference call meeting during the week of March 7 with decision - makers
from your area to discuss your potential strategy and ideas.
While our current task to identify funding sources for operating support is significant, we have accomplished a lot in the last
year. The Federal Railroad Administration selected the Chicago to Iowa City route for funding in a highly competitive
process. The state legislature has appropriated a portion of the state match for capital costs. Illinois and Iowa are
partnering to develop the route from Chicago to Dubuque and local efforts are underway in Dubuque on station
development. Now, in order to make the Chicago to Iowa City and Chicago to Dubuque passenger rail routes a reality, it
will take hard work and hard choices from each of you. With your help, we can prepare a business plan that shows broad
support - not just philosophical support or enthusiasm, but a concrete plan to share in the costs of the operating subsidy.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this note, feel free to contact either Tammy Nicholson at 515 - 239 -1052,
e -mail tamara.nicholson@ dot.iowa.gov or Amanda Martin at 515 - 239 -1653, e-mail amanda.martinPdot.iowa.gov
Thank you for your continued focus on this important effort.
Page 1 of 2
file: / /C: \Documents and Settings \jkurt\Local Settings \Temp \XPgrpwise \4D6CECB2DBQ_... 3/9/2011
Sincerely,
Nancy J. Richardson
Director
Iowa Department of Transportation
Page 2 of 2
file: / /C: \Documents and Settings \jkurt \Local Settings \Temp \XPgrpwise \4D6CECB2DBQ_... 3/9/2011
Small Cities in Dubuque County contribution
Census
2010
Subsidy
amounts
Asbury
4,170
$12,858.49
Cascade
2,159
$6,657.43
Dyersville
4,058
$12,513.13
Epworth
1,860
$5,735.44
Farley
1,537
$4,739.45
Peosta
1,377
$4,246.08
Total
15,161
$46,750.00
State of Iowa's subsidy for Chicago to Dubuque Passenger Rail
100.00%
$550,000.00
State of Iowa's contribution
50.00%
$275,000.00
City of Dubuque's contribution
25.00%
$137,500.00
Dubuque County's contribution
16.50%
$90,750.00
Small Cities in Dubuque County contribution
8.50%
$46,750.00
Mike Van Milligen - Passenger rail subsidy from Small cities in Dubuque County
From: Chandra Ravada <CRavada @ecia.org>
To: Mike Van Milligen <ctymgr @cityofdubuque.org >, Teri Goodmann <Tgoodman @ci...
Date: 3/7/2011 3:57 PM
Subject: Passenger rail subsidy from Small cities in Dubuque County
HI all,
As suggested please go through the information below for small cities population and their contribution to
passenger rail subsidy.
Thanks.
Chandra Ravada
Director of Transportation Department
East Central Intergovernmental Association
Dubuque, IA 52002
ph.: 563- 556 -4166
fax: 563 - 556 -0348
e -mail: cravadaPecia.org
Page 1 of 4
file: / /C: \Documents and Settings \jkurt \Local Settings \Temp \XPgrpwise \4D75006BDBQD... 3/9/2011