Joplin Globe Editorial: Restore Rock Island funding - Cutting it is a Poor Business Decision

Monday the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of HB 3020, allocating Missouri's portion of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The committee bill removed the entire $69.2 million Governor Parson had recommended for construction of the major "hard parts" of the 144-mile Rock Island Trail State Park. 

The Rock Island Trail will combine with the Katy Trail and other interconnected trails to create a 500+ mile cross-state trail system across Missouri. The trail will be built eventually - but with the proposed ARPA funding, it COULD become an economic powerhouse for central Missouri within just a few years.

Thursday, the full Senate passed HB 3020 - and still, there was not even $1 for the Rock Island Trail.

The Joplin Globe let us know how they feel about this decision - and they didn't pull any punches:

The decision to zero out funding for the Rock Island trail is a poor business decision for Missouri.

Last December, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources with the blessing of Gov. Mike Parson accepted ownership of the 144-mile rail corridor, with the vision of turning it into a trail that would stretch across central Missouri.

The governor put $69.2 million in his budget to begin work on the trail, and the House approved it. But on Monday, the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee cut the money.

To our way of thinking, the longer the state waits to develop the trail, the more money it loses.

These kinds of trails are revenue engines and job creators for communities along them and for the state, and we think lawmakers needed to focus on the long-term return on investment. . . .

Missouri, because of federal COVID-19 relief funds, has the money for the Rock Island. . . .

Keith Laughlin, president of the Rails-to-Trail Conservancy, told this paper not that long ago that adding the Rock Island would create a “bucket list” destination for Missouri that would draw people from across the country as well as overseas.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to build a whole economic development strategy around that, particularly for central Missouri,” he said.

We urge lawmakers to restore funding for the Rock Island.

Well said.