CN merger doesn't benefit the poor

So, two University of Chicago professors reported to Congress that the CN/EJ&E merger would benefit poor, low income neighborhoods in the city?

That conclusion is absurd. Education, Health and Human Services, Medical Assistance and Public Protection and Justice, all compete with Transportation for funds in Illinois's State Budget. Since the CN is not prepared to finance the infrastructure necessary to mitigate the mess they want to make, the state budget would be the most likely funding source.

If Congress thinks the CN's opponents are putting pressure on them now, just wait till they start lobbying them for the mitigation! If Congress doesn't kill this deal they can look forward to lots of fun trying to pay for it (those not voted out, that is).

The merger benefits CN and importers of cheap Asian goods. It doesn't benefit the poor because it is a budget pie gobbler that eats into money for things the poor especially care about. It also interferes with public transportation (Metra), which is something people of all economic means care about.

The only downside of not approving the merger is that CN will continue to be a bad neighbor to the people it's already being a bad neighbor to. They should mitigate the problems they cause there if they really care about anything but their own profit.

Jeanne Yeagley

Barrington