By Gina Jordan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-954672.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – A lot of dignitaries attended the final launch of shuttle Discovery Thursday, but the momentous occasion was somewhat overshadowed by high speed rail in Florida. Governor Rick Scott reiterated his decision to refuse more than two-billion dollars in federal funds for the project, while Democratic U-S Senator Bill Nelson vowed to continue fighting for the money. Now, Gina Jordan reports Florida is getting another week to decide whether to accept the funds.
On Friday, the deadline for Florida to accept the rail money, something surprising happened. Gov. Scott met with U-S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in Washington, and asked for more information about how the state will have no financial responsibility in the project. After the meeting, LaHood gave Florida at least one more week to reconsider.
At Kennedy Space Center Thursday, when it looked as though rail in Florida was dead, Senator Bill Nelson said Scott's move was hasty and ill-informed.
"If the governor is going to reject this 2.4-billion dollars to go ahead and construct high speed rail, that is a huge mistake. It's a mistake for 24-thousand people that would have jobs. It's a mistake for the future of Florida and our ability to get around. You can imagine what I-4 and I-95 will be like in twenty or thirty years."
Republican U-S Senator John Mica, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, agrees. In a statement, he said he has done all he can to salvage the project and present a viable alternative that would place the risk with the private sector and protect the taxpayers. Mica says he will try to salvage millions of dollars already spent along with years of study on the link that includes the Orlando airport and tourist area. But on Thursday, Governor Scott was unmoved.
"You know, I've reviewed the project, talked to a lot of individuals and looked at like the ridership studies, looked at all these things, and I'm not convinced."
Scott again referred to himself as the jobs governor, and held to his talking points about the significant risk of cost overruns for rail construction, low ridership, and taxpayer liability if the project has to be shut down. Attorneys from several cities involved in the project sent letters to Scott asking him to reconsider, but the governor cited a rail line in South Florida as an example of why he had no plans to change his mind.
"Anybody that lives down in the Miami/Palm Beach area realizes we already have a project down there called Tri-Rail. 64-million dollar operating costs, the fares only cover one-sixth of the cost. The state funds half that cost right now. So, I'm not convinced that this same thing is going to happen here. There's going to be a significant, there's going to be operating costs the state taxpayers are going to be on the hook for."
But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has already said that's just not the case. In a statement, he said his department worked with the governor to make sure all financial risk was eliminated for the state, instead requiring private businesses competing for the project to assume cost overruns and operating expenses. LaHood went on to say that this project could have supported thousands of good-paying jobs for Floridians and helped grow Florida businesses, while alleviating highway congestion.
Senator Nelson also believes the project would rev up Florida's economy because of increased activity at rail stops.
"I don't think this is done yet. I've already been on the phone with the secretary of transportation in Washington asking him to give us some more time to see if there is another avenue that we can go down, and he is considering that with his lawyers right now."
That was the situation on Thursday. On Friday, the deadline for Florida to accept the federal funds, Gov. Scott opened the door to reconsider his stance on the project, and LaHood gave him another week to think about it. Scott has made it clear he would be open to federal assistance for projects beyond rail.
"I wish the federal government would focus on the things that are important to our state. We need the expansion of our ports; we've got the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014, so we need the expansion of our ports. We need the expansion of our highways, expansion of our logistics, and that's what I've talked to them about, and that's what I wish would be happening."
What happens to the money if Florida ultimately rejects it? Secretary LaHood says there is overwhelming demand for high speed rail in other states that are enthusiastic to receive Florida's funding.