By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – Alabama cities and companies that could benefit from a high-speed train that would run from New Orleans to Atlanta may be requested to pay dues to a commission studying the project.
Richard Finley of Birmingham, the chairman of the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission, says the state of Alabama has refused to pay its dues to the organization. Finley hopes to raise money for the dues and rail study from cities along the rail route and from firms that do business with the railroads.
Bill Johnson, the director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, says his agency stopped paying dues after 2007, because ADECA is not involved in transportation and has a tight budget.
The state owes $120,000 to the commission for its dues for 2008 and 2009.