Breaking News!!: Downtown Needles, CA: Needles City Council to take action regarding Amtrak passenger train discontinuing long distance service.

Members of the Needles City Council will be taking action regarding Amtrak passenger train discontinuing long distance service into Downtown Needles, California.

At the Needles City Council Meeting being held at 6:00pm PT on Tuesday, March 27th, 2018, members of the Needles City Council will approving a letter executed by the City of Needles Mayor Edward T. Paget voicing the City of Needles’ objection to discontinuing long distance Amtrak passenger train service and authorizing advocacy to retain Amtrak passenger train service.

According to documents from the City of Needles, the current federal budget proposes eliminating all long distance Amtrak service, including the Southwest Chief service which served 363,272 in 2017 between Los Angeles and Chicago. In Needles 9176 boarding occurred by residents of Needles and the greater tri-state region with their primary destination being Los Angeles.

The federal government recently spent in excess of $11.0M to rehabilitate the El Garces adding the Amtrak station.

Discontinuing this service will further isolate Needles and other rural communities across the United States from major metropolitan centers and similar communities metropolitan centers and similar communities. The lack of service will harm tourism and general access by those without private transportation options.

Transferring the train trips to automobile trips will further exacerbate congestion and air pollution problems in the non-attainment LA basin.

A draft letter to federal elected officials requesting their assistance has been prepared for the Council’s approval and the Mayor’s signature.

** More Information: Agenda Item #11: **

http://cityofneedles.com/2018%20WEBSITE%20FILE%20POSTING/1%20CITY%20COUNCIL/3%20MARCH/MEETING%202/cc_032718-11-amtrak.pdf

The community can address their concerns over this agenda item during the Needles City Council and Needles Public Utility Authority Meeting will be held at 6:00pm PT on Tuesday, March 27th, 2018 inside the Needles City Council Chambers located off the J Street, next to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Colorado River Station sign and flag pole, at the Needles Civic Center located at 1111 Bailey Avenue in Needles, California.

Parking is located around the Needles Civic Center just off of J Street near the Needles Recreation Center or just off of Bailey Avenue near the San Bernardino County Needles Branch Library building.

The Needles City Council Meeting will be broadcast live at ZachNews on Facebook starting at 6:00pm PT.

https://www.facebook.com/ZachNews/

Information from the Office of Management and Budget said in the Major Savings and Reforms report for fiscal year 2019, the 2017 budget for Amtrak’s long distance trains was $1.495 billion.

The 2019 requested budget is $738 million, a decrease of $757 million.

** Anybody who wants to address their concerns over Amtrak passenger train discontinuing long distance service to Downtown Needles, California should contact the following officials: **

• Paul Cook, United States Representative for 8th District of California:

(Washington, DC Office)

By Mail: 1222 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 25015

By Phone: 1 (202) 225-5864

(Phone Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm ET)

(Local District Office)

By Mail: 14955 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley Town Hall, Apple Valley, California 92307

By Phone: 1 (760) 247-1815.

(Phone Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm PT)

(Second Local District Office)

By Mail: 34282 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, California 92399;

By Phone: 1 (909) 797-4900.

(Phone Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm PT)

• Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator:

(Washington, DC Office)

By Mail: 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

By Phone: 1 (202) 224-3841

By Fax: 1 (202) 228-3954

By Email: https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

(Local District Office)

By Mail: 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915, Los Angeles, California 90025.

By Phone: 1 (310) 914-7300

By Fax: 1 (310) 914-7318

(Office serves San Bernardino County, California)

• Kamala Harris: United States Senator of California:

(Washington, DC Office)

By Mail: 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

By Phone: 1 (202) 224-3553

By Fax: 1 (202) 224-2200

(Local District Office)

By Mail: 11845 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 1250 W, Los Angeles, CA 90064

By Phone: 1 (310) 231-4494

By Fax: 1 (202) 224-0357

By Email: https://www.harris.senate.gov/contact/email

**** Stay tuned to ZachNews for more news updates with more information regarding this news story. ****

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