Concept for Tampa-Orlando station (Source: Florida High Speed Rail)
by Mike Wussow
Governor Rick Scott of Florida has turned down $2.4 billion in federal
high-speed rail money. The money, part of President Obama's push for
building high-speed passenger rail, was to be used for a line connecting
Tampa and Orlando. In his prepared remarks,
former business executive Scott said his concerns centered on "capital
cost overruns," unrealistic "ridership and revenue projections," and a
fear that his "state would have to return the $2.4 billion" if Florida
couldn't afford to keep the project going.
As news of the
announcement spread beyond the Sunshine State, others in the high-speed
rail funding queue moved faster than the 250 mph Shanghai Maglev
passenger train to announce they'd happily take the money Florida isn't
using.
Meanwhile, California's two U.S. senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood urging that Florida's money "be redirected to our (California's) high-speed rail initiative." According to the letter, California is "leading the Nation (sic) in the development of high-speed rail" and has "over $5.5 billion in funds allocated for construction that will begin in 2012."
Florida isn't
innovating by turning down federal high-speed rail money.
Despite strong grassroots and local official support for the
Tampa-Orlando project, the state's decision to forego federal funding
for high-speed rail projects follows similar decisions made by the
governors of Ohio and Wisconsin late last year. High-speed rail support
is strong in those states too. But so is concern about the federal budget.
Secretary LaHood, a former Republican congressman, is on point for shepherding the administration's transportation priorities. And he seems serious enough about high-speed rail, telling Florida that it has one week to change its mind or the money will go to other states. Supporters of the Florida project are scrambling to seek a resolution that would circumvent Scott's decision and keep the rail funding in the state. Further emphasizing that the administration--despite opposition from governors of three states originally in line for funding--isn't backing down from its plans for high-speed rail, LaHood wrote in "The Hill" this morning, "The president's budget keeps us on track toward a national high-speed rail system with its $8 billion investment in 2012 and $53 billion investment during the next six years."
Governor
Scott's decision reminds us that opinions about where and how to
allocate transportation and infrastructure dollars vary dramatically
across the country, within states, and even within political parties.
High-speed rail, even though it remains the centerpiece of President
Obama's transportation plan, is far from immune from the current
infrastructure and transportation political tug of war. If anything,
it's right in the middle of it.
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