CARBONDALE - Gov. Rod Blagojevich is threatening to pull $28 million in funding for Amtrak, a move that could derail service for two of the three trains that run from Carbondale to Chicago.

But, with ridership on those trains at record levels, some local lawmakers said the governor's Monday announcement was less about fiscal policy and more about political gamesmanship aimed at State House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Blagojevich's threatened cuts for Amtrak were part of $1.5 billion package of proposals to be sliced from the state budget, which lawmakers estimate is unbalanced by about that amount.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said Blagojevich and Madigan, both Chicago Democrats, are using the budget as the last bit of leverage either has against the other, an exercise he called an "ugly game."

"I think he (Blagojevich) is putting things on the chopping block that people really want and really need to force Madigan's hand," he said. "Ridership has grown dramatically. We probably need to add more routes rather than decrease them but the governor will threaten to cut a lot of things purposefully that will get people's attention - Madigan's attention.

Luechtefeld added: "I don't' think it will work. I think Madigan wants to destroy him (Blagojevich). In the meantime they are destroying the state. We are up to our ears in debt. It's getting worse and worse and they don't seem to care."

Amtrak Spokesman Marc Magliari said ridership on the three Carbondale to Chicago trains is up 19 percent, or about 30,961 riders, from October 2007 to May 2008 versus the same period a year ago.

Without the state funding two of those three trains will have to be discontinued, he said.

"How it works is state-supported trains operate with financial support from the state, and if the state was unable to pay for the contracted service the service would be halted," he explained.

State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said if the governor actually follows through with those cuts, the results would be disastrous for the region. But, he added, budget cuts have to come from somewhere.

"When the legislature sent a budget that is $2 billion in the hole, there will need to be cuts," Forby said. "There's not going to be any good ones (cuts). We need to sit down and work it out."

Forby said he expects legislators to be called back to Springfield to rework the budget and, unless a capital bill is passed to create jobs, the situation next year will be far worse.

Luechtefeld agreed with Forby that the options facing Blagojevich are all unappealing.

"He can veto the whole budget and bring us (lawmakers) back in for another overtime session like he did last year. That would be ugly - very, very ugly," he said. "Or he can veto parts of it, which he's threatening to do and try to force Madigan to come back and fix the budget. Or he can sign it. None of those are good options."

For his part, Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole said he was not concerned by the Governor's announcement.

"This is typical politics being played out with the budget and there's a lot more going on here," he said. "Ridership has increased and that's important. I am sure that, in the end, it (service) will be maintained."

- Mike Riopell and Linda Rush contributed to this story.

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

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