What amazes me is that these entities, some of which are a net receiver of tax revenues whine when they are asked to pony up a few more bucks via the sales tax. If you have actually LOOKED at the state budgets, most states need every dime they can get.

There are only two choices. You can collect and pay taxes, or the government can enact draconian cuts.

I'd rather pay an extra 6% sales tax than find that my favorite tourist line is gone because the local/state/federal government slashed funding.

May I respectfully point out that NO "tourist line" in Pennsylvania is a state-operated or state-funded operation--unlike, say, Cass Scenic or Cumbres & Toltec. There's the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which isn't an excursion but a museum, and Steamtown, which is pretty much in an alternate universe as far as this discussion is concerned.

There are some state subsidies and grants that go to some rail operations in Pennsylvania, I will grant you, and some of those may well affect some excursion operation. But any of the Commonwealth's excursion operations that is unable to survive in the open market or would shut down without largess from Harrisburg, well, pretty much deserves said fate.

Out west here, we also have plenty to worry about. Arizona has a record budget deficit and the Republicans want to abolish the real estate transfer tax-a tax that was suspended for the last two fiscal years. We're looking down the barrel of a financial disaster and we're not the worst off. Nevada has been cutting state employees, effectively closing down certain state operations. One operation deemed expendable was the museum at Ely that was located in the depot. State museums such as the California State Railroad Museum will also feel the funding pinch, but won't be completely shut down.

Bottom line is that in the financial crash, everything that is not public safety related or health related has fallen off the radar here. We lost the last Drive In theater in Southern Arizona-tonight's show was the last. Bought up by a developer but with the economy being as is, day to day living is the highest priority on most folks mind. Historic preservation (for Arizona) right now is a luxury the state can ill afford to fund as tax revenue has collapsed-lower housing values cut tax revenues. Thus the spending has to be reduced. Income taxes have collapsed and public assistance costs gone through the roof, yet the legislature wants to ABOLISH the real estate transfer tax here? They are way out of touch with reality-the fact that you can now take firearms into bars or restaurants serving alcohol here is proof enough.

Gentlemen,

This topic is drifting badly away from railroad preservation into a debate on taxes. Let's get it back on track before I have to lock it.

Kevin

Kevin that is your (incorrect) opinion. I see it as extremely relevant. Does your state not have any state funded museums that have experienced cutbacks as of late?

"Bottom line is that in the financial crash, everything that is not public safety related or health related has fallen off the radar here."

That may be true elsewhere, but here in Pennsylvania we still have a multimillion dollar movie credit, which was used to make 2008's epic "Zack and Miri Make a Porno", an NC-17 "comedy". I wonder what EBT or RRMPA could do with a few of those millions.

And I believe said film-making tax credits are currently being used to make a Denzel Washington-starring film, "Unstoppable," up on the former PRR Harrisburg-Buffalo line, on both Norfolk Southern and Western NY & Pa.-controlled sections of the line, featuring leased and repainted CP locos and supposedly a MAJOR crash scene that was filmed this weekend. The story is supposedly based on an actual runaway on the Keating Summit 2.2% grade that happend two years ago, as well as that "runaway" loco on CSX several years ago.......

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477080/