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Committee hearing airs pros, cons of GOP legislators’ efforts to block state funding for commuter-rail projects

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Jan 15, 2022

CONCORD – Warning that a House bill that would prohibit the use of state money on commuter-rail related projects would, if passed, “remove from the table any discussion on commuter rail,” state Rep. Michael O’Brien Sr. of Nashua asked his fellow legislators to “put on your thinking caps (and) forget any partisan politics” when considering the fate of the bill.

“This needs to be vetted and discussed. We need to look at the future of what commuter rail could do” for New Hampshire if it becomes a reality, O’Brien said while testifying at Thursday’s hearing of the House Committee on Public Works and Highways.

The bill, HB 1432, is sponsored by Republican state Sen. Gary Daniels of Milford and nine GOP state representatives from various districts. It calls for a prohibition on spending any state money “for the planning, construction, operation or management of new passenger rail projects.”

If ultimately successful, the ongoing efforts to expand commuter rail into the state would establish four stops in New Hampshire – two of which would be in Nashua.

One of the bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Aidan Ankarberg, Republican of Rochester, told the committee that the purpose of the bill is simple: “to protect New Hampshire taxpayers from this boondoggle.”

Ankarberg said that several years ago, spending on the project “left 10.8 million New Hampshire taxpayers on the hook,” and today, “costs are rising on this project … projected ridership is expected to be lower,” he said.

“There is no need for this,” he said of the project.

State Rep. Ralph Boehm, Republican of Litchfield, said he was a member of a rail commission headed by then-U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg,” Republican of New Hampshire’s 2nd district.

“After a year of discussing (commuter rail coming to New Hampshire), we determined it was not feasible … and it’s even less so now,” Boehm told attendees.

Addressing previous projections that commuters who have the option of using commuter rail would significantly lessen the burden on highways, Boehm said that “we all use the roads,” and predicted that “only a very few (people) will use rail.”

And for those who do, Boehm offered, “what better way to transmit (the COVID-19 virus) than on a train.”

Other speakers included Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce president Wendy Hunt, who underscored the benefits, economic and otherwise, that commuter rail would have on the business community and the state in general.

“This is a very important economic opportunity for New Hampshire,” she said in suggesting that the committee should hold off on advancing the legislation until next January, when the ongoing engineering, environmental and financial study is expected to be completed.

Then, she said, “everyone would know all the facts and have a full understanding of the costs and benefits of rail expansion.”

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