Federal takeover of Public Transit coming?

[msmith198025]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402459_pf.html


The Obama administration will propose that the federal government take over safety regulation of the nation's subway and light-rail systems, responding to what it says is haphazard and ineffective oversight by state agencies.

Under the proposal, the U.S. Department of Transportation would do for transit what it does for airlines and Amtrak: set and enforce federal regulations to ensure that millions of passengers get to their destinations safely. Administration officials said the plan will be presented in coming weeks to Congress, which must approve a change in the law.

The proposal would affect every subway and light-rail system in the country, including large systems in Washington, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

[vurbano]

A federal takeover of EVERYTHING is coming by Obama if no one stops him.

[Derwin0]

Small problem.

While the DC Metro could be affected because it crosses state lines and is therefore interstate commerce, almost all transits systems are within one state, and therefore do not fall underneath the federal governments power.

The only way the Feds could get any power over them, is to make federal funds dependent on federal authority, otherwise the States can tell them to pound sand.

[msmith198025]

It is possible that they do that though Derwin. I am not sure what the bill entails, but It does say that proposal would effect EVERY subway and light rail system in the country