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Entz Gets Tourist Train Funds

Posted on: Friday, 17 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Charles Ashby, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

Mar. 17--DENVER - Not only will the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad get the operational money it needs this year, but Sen. Lewis Entz is hoping it will get it for next year, too.

Despite a governor's veto last week of $250,000 to the railroad and a threat from the Joint Budget Committee that there may be no money elsewhere, the Hooper Republican said he has the matter well in hand.

In fact, he also has a check in hand, one he plans to present to railroad officials in a check-passing ceremony at 5 p.m. today at the Old Courthouse.

"I told (the governor's office) to cut me a check, but not to mail it," Entz said in a defiant tone. "I told them I wanted to deliver the check myself to make sure they got it."

The senator, a longtime advocate of the tourist train, wasn't happy on Friday when he learned the governor had issued a rare line-item veto of a measure that called for using tourism promotion money to fund the railroad.

He had been forewarned of the veto, but assured that there was plenty of money in the budget to cover it.

Initially, JBC members said there wasn't, but now they say there is. The money will come directly out of the state's general fund, its main checking account, said Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, who also is vice chair of the JBC. He said there were enough unallocated funds in the account after voters approved Referendum C last fall to cover the expense.

As a result, the railroad will get the money it needs to rehire at least eight workers at an Antonito repair shop, work Entz said is needed to ensure the railroad can start its 2006 season in May.

Meanwhile, Entz is working to get an additional $500,000 in next year's budget for operational expenses at the railroad so he can avoid a similar last-minute battle as this year. He's also trying to get $1.3 million in capital construction money to repair some of its track.

It's too early to tell if he'll be successful.

Tapia said he's likely to get more operational money, but not the capital construction funds.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

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Source: The Pueblo Chieftain

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