Yesterday, Florida’s newly elected governor, Rick Scott, announced he was rejecting the $2.4 billion he had received from the federal government to subsidize the proposed 84-mile Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail line along the I-4 corridor. Here is Scott’s letter to an “extremely disappointed” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in which the governor lists several non-HSR transportation projects that would offer better returns on investment. Similar to the response from the Department of Transportation following mere skepticism on the part of of the governors-elect of Wisconsin and Ohio of the Obama administration high-speed rail plans, it is expected that the Department will pull the funds out of Florida and redirect them to other states, such as California.
As the Reason Foundation’s report on the I-4 corridor found, high-speed rail in Florida was destined to become a massive infrastructure boondoggle. Author Wendell Cox noted that canceling the project would result in $280 million in state matching funds being freed up to spend on more sensible transportation infrastructure projects. Having an administration that has demonstrated itself to be hostile to an efficient, mobility-enhancing transportation system — preferring instead to subsidize high-speed trains for wealthy urbanites, wasteful transit, and “livability” projects — means states have to be far more careful with how they allocate their own transportation funds.
Not everyone is thrilled with Gov. Scott’s wise move. Mitch Perry of Tampa’s Creative Loafing alternative weekly blames “Rick Scott’s ego,” sanctimoniously claiming:
And Rick Scott’s decision to kill the Tampa-to-Orlando high speed rail route has maximum impact, as an untold number of jobs won’t be filled, and the dreams and aspirations of many in the Tampa Bay region are at least for now, thwarted.
If “the dreams and aspirations” of many Tampa residents hinged on the proposed high-speed rail line to the Orlando airport, the city has far bigger things to worry about. Of course, Perry fails to mention that Tampa metro voters in November killed a proposed rail transit system. Most pro-rail transportation cheerleaders admit integrated rail transit is a prerequisite for high-speed intercity passenger rail success (or, as I’d put it, for the project not becoming as huge of a fiscal black hole).
For more on Scott’s decision, see Reason Director of Transportation Policy Bob Poole’s post here.
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It was the wisest thing to do. Reject the money from Obama. We don't need to
spend those funds for the High=speed rail. We don't need to have more of the
spending and put the burden of paying for the rail on Florida long after it is built.
Don't these people look long range, refer to the AM TRACK. That is costing all of us everyday and should be shut down.
Thank you Gov. Rick Scott for using your head and not falling for the pressure put on you to accept the funds.
The flubbernor's actions dismantle 40 years of initiative attempting to make an intelligent decision about the corridor from Tampa to Orlando which could be well-traveled by tourists and, as noted above, create jobs. It is very nice of the governor to want the money to go to California rather than to his constituents. Very loving and giving. We hope he will follow it so he can be governor there and grapple with a truly desperate economy.
you are ridiculously nieve or plainly wrong. this will never support itself and will be a long term burden to florida taxpayers.
Thank You Governor. History shows the government has no buisness in rail systems in the USA. The studies all show the FLORIDA high speed rail would spend lots of money we do not have, and would operate as a money loser, which would require lots of money to support a system most people would NEVER use!
Very wise decision by Rick Scott, glad to see some good judgment from our officials. Spending money that doesn't exist to create a want is not a good enough reason to do it. There’s far too much of this going on. As far as providing jobs, the contract for the high speed rail was not going to FL business but planned to go out side of FL. Short period jobs are not the answer nor is it what FL needs right now. Who would be riding this train? I could dream up working commuters and tourists but the jobs are scarce now, how will they magically appear after the rail is completed? Let's get the jobs for Floridians in place, and then worry about how to get to work. Tourism is at a low, people are traveling outside of the US more now then ever. I know several retirees who travel outside of FL and outside of the US; their traveling dollars are not being put back into the US economy, how sad. We do need to get tourism back in FL, but I see more commercials for Caribbean vacations and places outside the US. So let's keep it real, thank you Governor Scott for not adding to our debt burden and keeping the horse before the cart.
This is an old politician's fight. Liberals versus conservatives. On behalf of the young voting block… we don't really care because we'll just wait for you guys to get out of office and then do the bullet train and countless other great ideas. So either go with it and create the jobs for us now, or we'll do it when we replace you in office and conveniently remember that you refused to create economic prosperity and jobs for us when we're voting about whether or not to finance your failed private healthcare system.
Never forget that the "young people" will take over, and we're sort of being ignored in this debate so a white collar criminal governor can "send a message" to Washington that the state of Florida doesn't want sent?
How do I know… well, I'm actually one of the very rare young native Floridians and we don't like that the old snow-bird retirees voted this weasel into office. Honestly, we could represent our elderly and retired population much better than this clueless governor. We were raised around them and their needs… not this guy who comes here just to mess everything up even worse than Jeb Bush.
Young liberals become old conservatives when they grow up. Wisdom comes with age.
The only way young liberals become old conservatives is when they look out for their own self interest in their older years not caring about the rest of the nation. There actually is a current move of older conservatives becoming older liberals due to the current Repblican party's peformance and objectives. Not to mention the Tea Party is one of the greatest tools being used to build numbers in the Democrat party today. Every time Michelle Bauchman is covered by the media another Republican leaves the party. Governor Scott is also doing a wonderful job at chasing away all moderate to liberal republicans as well. There seems to be no more room for moderates or liberal republicans yet the fastest growing sector of party affiliation is as a moderate or conservative democrat. The Hamiltonians have definately come back from the grave to be of service only to those of higher income brackets.
hopefully with age your brain will develop. thank goodness most young people are nopt like you
More idiocy from brain-dead Republicans who just want to prove that ideology trumps common sense.
You do realize, of course, that Wendell Cox and the Reason Foundation are subsidized by the Koch
oil interests? Yeah, nice unbiased "study" there. Cox has long been discredited by everyone who knows
anything about transportation.
Thanks, though…we'll take the money and build California's HSR system, while you people rot in traffic jams. I think I'll take my tourist money to places other than Florida.
It always amazes me that so-called "free market" or "open market" advocates oppose rail funding, while holding their hands out for more subsidies to highways and airports. Hypocrites.
I was just curious – in all the responses received regarding the Governor’s recent high speed rail decision, which term was used most: idiot, moron, or imbecile?
This could also mean loss of jobs to Florida residents.
I like him even more now. The high speed rail was a big waste of money. Thank you Rick Scott for taking a stand and not backing down. I know it is not easy.
Money we don't have for a train we don't need!
Smart move, Gov'nor!
The world understands a nation's need for high speed railroads, that is, all but Rick and us. The same people would not have went with our trip to the moon, stem cell research, social security, medicare, the particle accelerator which is now in Europe, the up keep-of our national parks, etc., etc. In other words, lets go back in time and stay there.
the annual operating losses would be in the 100s of millions. the ridiculous proposal by the winter park congressman schould also be killed. fiscal responsibility is needed. the billions would ceate too few jobs and then result in losses. no private company would ever waste money this way
Thank God for a Governor who is brave enough to do what he was elected to do, watch out for the pocketbooks of the citizens who voted for him. Speed rail would be be nothing more than a money pit that would eat away at the income of Florida's population for generations to come. It takes courage to stand firm on his promises.
no private company will ever consider this project as will lose tens of millions annually. thank you gov scott
Rick Scott is the man! He should send the $$$ back too the fedral govment we have a amtrac train allready that runs to and from tampa,orlando that nobody rides. So, he should send the $$ back then tell obma to sell amtrac to a public company like GE!!!
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