|
|
| Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail (861235) | |
 |
|
| Home > SubChat | |
[ Post a New Response | Return to the Index ]
|
| (861235) | |
Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail |
|
|
Posted by busway flyer on Thu Nov 19 15:24:37 2009 Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over RailLloyd Dunkelberger and Bill Rufty Sarasota Herald Tribune (Florida) FLORIDA - Insurance idea could boost plans that may get federal aid Lawmakers and Governor Charlie Crist are negotiating the details of an upcoming special session that would clear the way for a commuter rail system in Central Florida, boost commuter rail in Southeast Florida and potentially attract federal funding for a high-speed railway between Tampa and Orlando. But a deal has not been struck and questions remain whether the Senate has the votes for the SunRail, a $1.2 billion commuter rail system in the Orlando area. If a deal is reached, the Legislature could convene in a special session as early as next month. Meanwhile, Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, who has launched a bid for governor, questioned the SunRail deal, while her primary opponent, Attorney General Bill McCollum, used Tuesday's Cabinet meeting to voice his support for the 61-mile rail system that would run through Orlando while linking Volusia and Osceola counties. "We need commuter rail," said McCollum, who represented the Orlando area in Congress for two decades. "I think every one of us on the Cabinet understands that." Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the leading Democratic contender for governor, said she supports SunRail, while noting the latest version of the proposal would require CSX Transportation to assume more financial responsibility for potential accidents on the rail line that the company is selling the state. Sink urged state transportation officials to "bring this deal in for a landing because it really is so important for all of Florida." But Dockery, who led the successful fight to stop Senate approval of the SunRail deal in the spring legislative session, said the state is still assuming too much liability for the system, although state transportation officials are now talking about a $200 million liability insurance policy with CSX paying for up to a $10 million deductible if the company is "willfully" responsible for an accident. "There is no new deal. They are talking about an insurance policy, not making the railroad accept liability for its accidents," Dockery said. "Then they are trying to make that sound like there is something new about this." Dockery said the CSX supporters have not made a good faith effort to renegotiate the liability provisions. "I think they would serve the public and would gain overwhelming support if they were to renegotiate this deal so that CSX assumes its rightful and lawful liability on that track," she said. Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos said the CSX liability provisions and finding a funding source for Tri-Rail, the existing commuter rail system in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, remain the key issues in the special session negotiations. Lawmakers are considering a daily $2 per rental car tax that would be used to support the Tri-Rail system, with negotiations centering on how that tax would be imposed -- either by a voter referendum or a vote by the local county commissions -- and whether that would be a sufficient financial commitment for the federal government. Kopelousos told Crist and the Cabinet members that resolving the SunRail and Tri-Rail issues will be critical for the state having a chance at $2.5 billion in federal funding for a proposed high-speed rail system linking Tampa and Orlando. "We've heard clearly from Washington that we need to deliver commuter rail before we're ever going to see any funding for high-speed rail," Kopelousos said. "That message has been loud and clear." Calling the rail projects "very important to the future of Florida," Crist said that he is "hopefully optimistic" that lawmakers will hold a special session on the commuter rail projects either in December or January. But he also conceded that there are doubts about whether SunRail can win enough votes in the 40-member Senate, where the costly commuter rail system has been rejected twice. "One of the oldest rules regarding a special session is that you shouldn't call one unless you believe you have the votes to get the mission accomplished," Crist said. "We need 21 votes obviously to make that happen." Dockery cautioned legislative leaders about bringing up the controversial project again. "If the Senate president thinks it is good to bring this bad deal up again near a election, then I say, 'Have at it,'" Dockery said. "I don't know who the powerful force is who has come in and been able to get the governor and the Cabinet and the Legislature to bring up the same old deal in a special session after it has already been voted down two years in a row." Asked if SunRail opponents could prevail again in a special session, Dockery replied: "I've got the facts." But this time Dockery will be facing SunRail and Tri-Rail supporters as well as proponents for the potential federal funding for bullet train who argue that the projects are critical to the state in terms of job creation and providing alternative transportation systems. "I would really hate to see that opportunity lost," Crist said. |
|
|
| (861311) | |
Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail |
|
|
Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Thu Nov 19 18:24:37 2009, in response to Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail, posted by busway flyer on Thu Nov 19 15:24:37 2009. Dockerty, whose husband was the biggest proponent that got HSR on the ballot, is the most anti-rail woman in the gov't now.secondly, how many times do they have to vote to pass sunrail before they finally do it?! And HSR seems close to a go, Disney is backing it now. |
|
|
| (862808) | |
Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail |
|
|
Posted by Olog-hai on Tue Nov 24 02:27:23 2009, in response to Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Thu Nov 19 18:24:37 2009. Will Disney put its money where its mouth is, though . . . ? (I don't see Mica's claims coming true either.) |
|
|
(Sponsored) |
iPhone 6 (4.7 Inch) Premium PU Leather Wallet Case - Red w/ Floral Interior - by Notch-It |
|
| (863171) | |
Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail |
|
|
Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Nov 24 17:32:54 2009, in response to Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail, posted by Olog-hai on Tue Nov 24 02:27:23 2009. I think the press is starting to get confused, because I thought construction was supposed to have started for Orlando commuter trains, and then it was reversed, and passed and reversed.And the radio can't seem to tell the difference between a streetcar and HSR during their newsbreaks either. |
|
|
| (863172) | |
Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail |
|
|
Posted by SelkirkTMO on Tue Nov 24 17:38:30 2009, in response to Re: Florida Governor is Hoping for a Deal Over Rail, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Nov 24 17:32:54 2009. Here's a picture of it. What has them confused is the NASA modifications ...
|
|
|
