Posted on 02/17/2011 11:02:11 PM PST by kara2008
Members of Florida's Congressional Delegation and the Florida Legislature are plotting to circumvent Governor Scott's decision to reject $2.4 billion in federal funds to build a high speed rail from Orlando to Tampa. Unlikely bedfellows were made today when a group of 26 State Senators, including ten democrats and led by high speed rail supporter Paula Dockery, sent a letter to Obama’s Transportation Secretary asking him to circumvent Gov. Scott and send the dollars directly to a state commission created in 2009. They noted that politics should have no place in the future of Florida’s transportation, but they are doing exactly that with this political power play to quiet your voice and that of your elected Governor.
Governor Scott's decision to reject the federal stimulus dollars is backed by sound economic policy and represents the voice of fiscal conservatives - he doesn't think it is in the best interest of the state to commit to a project we can't afford down the road. The Federal Railroad Administration has proposed a plan for Florida that will cost an estimated $11 billion to build, and it is projected that along with SunRail and Tri-Rail it will cost $100 million per year to operate once completed. With unknown ridership numbers and a budget shortfall of $3.5 billion and growing, the state of Florida simply can't afford Obama and Dockery's High Speed Rail plan.
Please, use the form below and contact your state and congressional representatives to tell them that we can't afford to play politics over High Speed Rail. {Contact form at link}
Tampa mayor (and others) were whining about the decision yesterday. They were all talking about the lost jobs.
Gimme $2 Billion dollars and I’ll create more jobs than that stupid train, and make money in the process.
The outsider candidate who promised to bring a fresh approach to government, Gov. Rick Scott, may have just repeated an age-old mistake that tormented many of his predecessors.
In shooting down the state’s proposed high-speed rail project this week, Scott ignited a power struggle with the Florida Legislature over his constitutional authority.
Twenty-six state senators on Thursday signed a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking him to not send Florida’s $2.4 billion in rail money to other states while they research whether the governor overstepped his legal authority. The lawmakers said they hoped to find a way to proceed with the rail project despite Scott’s opposition, possibly by using a private rail authority or cities such as Tampa and Orlando as conduits.
“We need to see if the governor can really do this by himself,” said state Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, one of the 26 lawmakers who signed the letter.
Other legislators who signed on were Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner from Orlando and Senate Pro Tem Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton. The bipartisan letter was signed by 11 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
Detert said that when Scott was elected, many in the Legislature expected he would have a steep learning curve, given that he has never held elected office. But few could foresee how little he would be willing to work with the legislators at this point, she said.
In making his decision to ax funding for the high-speed rail, Scott did not forewarn some of the biggest players in the Legislature. Some learned from television reports and others from Twitter.
sunone.com It seems he ticked them off not consulting with them. Did Christie to that?
Scott is acting like a business man. Many of teh big govt people don’t understand or like that approach.
I haven't seen that yet. I've seen a facebook spot but not a bill. Do you have some more info on that?
BTW, I fully support Scott on this and I live in the I-4 corridor where this carnival ride would run.
I got an email from that idiot Bill Nelson about this. He’s apparently one of the main agitators. My reply, verbatim: “Stuff it.”
BS. Somebody is paying them off. Crooks.
Here’s a link to the liberal tank at CF News 13. They conveniently run a poll at 5 AM then yank it when their buddies have voted. People worked very hard to keep the likes of Sink out of the Governorship!
I could spit bullets right now!
I haven’t looked up all the Republican senators yet who sent the letter, but I can say I’m really disappointed in Mike Fasano. I thought he was better than this. Paula Dockery is obviously going for the money for Polk County.
The one thing we have to watch out for are the RINOs...and the Senate “leadership” seem to be involved.
They CLAIM they’re not being consulted by Scott—which may or may not be true.
Now Bill Nelson, pretend conservative Democrat during election years, is talking about PRIVATE BUSINESS taking the loan from the federal government. WTF? Is that even CONSTITUTIONAL or LEGAL?
Look, I think Scott ought to work w/the legislative leadership—but the way to FIX that is NOT for the Republicans in the Senate to join hands with liberal ‘rats!
Get it together, Republican legislators: or else you’ll be the next ones out on your ears.
I would LOVE to see this project succeed and will support it as best I can when it gets going. But ONLY if it’s done totally with private investment! An honest and subjective marketing study would probably be such that no private investor in his or her right mind would put money into it, and that’s sad. But it’s the way life is.
I refuse to fly commercially. Period. There’s no place I need to be that’s worth the cost and inconvenience of becoming one of the cattle at the airport.
“Kick them out! If they want this train, let them fund it with their own money and leave FL taxpayers out of it!”
I concur wholeheartedly! Tonight I’m getting on my computer at home and sending e-mails to the (R) turncoats who want this boondoggle. I’ve already e-mailed Governor Scott, letting him know he’s doing a great job so far, and I’ll keep letting him know. Then I’m e-mailing Mayor Pam, Bill Nelson, et al., to let them know how disgusted in them I am. Not that they would care, but I’ll certainly enjoy telling them.
FL FREEPERS: Please read the FL Message Board where I posted important info for you to take action and let these Senators know your displeasure over their letter.
What are they planning on doing putting up souvenir shops along the I-4 corridor? Oh, they already have those? How 'bout refinance Cypress Gardens. That went bankrupt again too? Maybe spend some money on a new Civic Center in Lakeland? No one goes there anymore? Build more courthouses in Bartow? You might need those to prosecute the illegals. What has Polk County got to offer, more sprawling bankrupt malls? Great Sheriff though!
(Note: I only see 25 signatures on the letter but it’s been reported that 26 senators signed it. So this list is missing one R.
Here's a list of their email addresses:
evers.greg.web@flsenate.gov; wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov; gardiner.andy.web@flsenate.gov; fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov; jones.dennis.web@flsenate.gov; dockery.paula.web@flsenate.gov; latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov; bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov; simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov; detert.nancy.web@flsenate.gov; altman.thad.web@flsenate.gov; bogdanoff.ellyn.web@flsenate.gov; benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov; portilla.miguel.web@flsenate.gov; garcia.rene.web@flsenate.gov; hill.tony.web@flsenate.gov; montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov; joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov; siplin.gary.web@flsenate.gov; smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov; sachs.maria.web@flsenate.gov; sobel.eleanor.web@flsenate.gov; ring.jeremy.web@flsenate.gov; rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov; margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov;
This train is an expensive solution to a non problem suported by promises based on wishful thinking.
Doc Dockery has been the leader of the pro- high speed rail consortium. Mrs. Dockery, who was against the rail, must not have been getting any at home, so she changed her vote.
Sad part of all of this, is we, the voters and taxpayers, voted down the rail...twice!
Anyone who has reconciled a checkbook knows this is elephant is going to sink Florida.
This is their plan. Bankrupt everything.
Central Planning. I knew this would happen in my lifetime.
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