Loss of Wisconsin Rail Dollars Hurts Minnesota/Region

Leaders of the Minnesota AFL-CIO expressed disappointment in today’s news that Wisconsin would lose out on nearly a billion dollars to help build a portion of a Twin Cities to Chicago high speed rail line. The federal government redirected the money when it became clear that incoming Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker would not move forward to use high-speed rail money received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

“This was a missed opportunity to create much-needed jobs and boost the upper-Midwest’s economy,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. “The region will now fall further behind as states on the east and west coast move forward with 21st century rail projects.”

Last month, Knutson wrote Governor-elect Walker urging him to reconsider. She argued that the Wisconsin project would set the larger Twin Cities to Chicago line back many years.

“Governor-elect Walker is not even in office and he is already taking Wisconsin and the entire region backwards,” Knutson added.