R i g h t a r d i a: FL Senate trumps Dictator Scott on High Speed Rail Funding

BY ALEX LEARY, MARC CAPUTO AND BILL VARIAN
Miami Herald

A majority of the Florida Senate told federal officials to give Florida $2.4 billion in bullet train money, even though Gov. Rick Scott wants to reject it.

Meanwhile, state officials and lawmakers seek other ways to get the money.
Sen. David Simmons, whom is described as the “brains” of the Senate helped Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland and Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourn write the letter.

“The bottom line is that he can’t reject this money: It was already approved by another Legislature and another governor,” said Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs. “It’s like trying to veto a bill after it becomes law. It’s too late.”

“It’s like trying to veto a bill after it becomes law. It’s too late.”
From Washington to Tallahassee, Florida lawmakers scrambled Thursday to save $2.4 billion in federal money for high-speed rail that Gov. Rick Scott rejected.

In Washington, members of Florida’s Congressional delegation met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who gave them one week to put together a complicated deal that would give the money to a private entity such as Amtrak or a regional planning organization.

“The cart’s in a ditch right now and we’ve got to figure out a way if we can all pull it out together,” said U.S. Rep. John Mica, an Orlando area Republican. He is chairman of the powerful House transportation committee.

“Politics should have no place in the future of Florida’s transportation, as evidenced by this letter of bipartisan supplaort,” said the letter, signed by 26 members of the Republican-controlled Florida Senate. The 26 state senators represent a veto-proof majority.

“This project would create real jobs, clealaner and smarter transportation and true economic development for Floridians,” said the letter written to LaHood.

The letter was authored in part by one of Scott’s first Senate backers, Republican Paula Dockery. Dockery argued that the newly created Florida Rail Enterprise could act independently of Scott.

The state’s share of the rail money — $300 million — was already approved last year by a previous governor, Charlie Crist.

The long planned rail line would connect Tampa to Orlando and the $2.4 billion would have covered nearly the entire cost.

Private companies were willing to cover any additional construction costs and operating losses.

But Scott worried about cost overruns, and said low ridership would have required state subsidies. His reservations were well-known, but his decision was a shocker nonetheless with state and federal officials working closely and in harmony.

A group of lawmakers, mostly Democrats, vowed to make the deal work and said they have already talked to Amtrak and regional planning groups in Florida.

The deal would work like this: the money would flow through the state to a private or quasi-government group that would serve as a sub-guarantee.

The proposed deal calls for this organization to assume any additional cost not covered by the federal grant and assume future risk and responsibility.

But the deal would likely need Scott’s approval and he was not budging.

LaHood, a former Republican congressman appointed by President Barack Obama, is a staunch proponent of Florida’s project but could only grant a one week reprieve. A spokeswoman for LaHood said the federal stimulus money was intended to be put to work as quickly as possible.

Scott shocked legislators by announcing he would reject the money and then called the bullet train a “boondoggle.”

He cited findings from the Libertarian Reason Foundation that questioned the ridership projections for the Tampa-to-Orlando line.

Dockery said the study was “inaccurate.” Echoing other senators, Dockery said the state would be foolish to turn down the federal money to create a “premier” rail line.

“This was going to be a model for the nation,” Dockery said.

Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos didn’t sign the letter. “I was never a big supporter of high-speed rail,” said Haridopolos, who voted for the rail legislation package in December 2009. Haridoopolis is supporting Scott's decision on high speed rail.

Haridopolos, will be running for U.S. Senate against Bill Nelson. Bill Nelson is a big proponent of high speed rail and this issue is likely to be mentioned in the upcoming Senate election.

The senators have the power to override any attempt Scott might make to block the appropriation of rail money.

Other senators said they also didn’t like the fact that Scott decided to reverse a decision of the legislature without coordinating with the senate. Said Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker:

This is a sign: Talk to us first.

sources: Orlando-Miami high-speed rail line faces uncertain future - Florida - MiamiHerald.com

http://westwisconsinrail.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/fl-gov-scott-rebuked-by-republican-state-senate-over-high-speed-rail-funding/

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