County GOP chairman blasts his own party for rail spending
by George Bennett | December 10th, 2009
Dinerstein: bus subsidies OK
“If the Republicans aren’t willing to defend the taxpayers, then nobody is,” Dinerstein said in an interview before Wednesday night’s county GOP meeting.
With Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, playing a leading role, the legislature agreed to spend $432 million to buy 61 miles of CSX track in central Florida for commuter rail. Legislators pledged $13 million to $15 million a year to subsidize Tri-Rail in South Florida and $60 million a year to create Florida Rail Enterprise to oversee all passenger rail in the state.
The expenditures are seen as positioning Florida to get $2.6 billion in federal money for high-speed rail.
Dinerstein accused Republican legislators of having an “inside-the-Beltway mentality” and being out of touch with “the grass-roots, which knows we’re going to be paying outrageous sums for generations.”
Dinerstein is a cheerleader for transit subsidies as chairman of the county’s Palm Tran Service Board.
“If you do public transportation, there’s probably not a system in the country that pays for itself. You have to be willing to cross that line. I’m willing to live with small public transportation (subsidies),” Dinerstein said.
But propping up the county’s lightly-used bus system is nothing compared to the expense of rail, Dinerstein said.
Tags: Palm Tran, Sid Dinerstein, Tri-Rail
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December 10th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Agree with Sid, the repubs voted with the demos on this taxpayer ripoff.
It mirrors the PBC School District, both trying to grab the billions (our taxpayer money)being offered by the Feds. The Schools -Race To The Top, and the State-SunRail $$.
Sid, we need fiscal conservatives to run for county commission seats, mayorial seats, council seats, state senate seats, school district seats, etc. Who do you have lined up? We don’t need the usual tax and spenders currently in office.
When the increase in fees, licenses and taxes start hitting voters will perk up their ears for a candidate willing to cutback, safe money during this and unfortunately, the years to come.
Right now-Cut, stop spending, lessen services (sorry guys) and take furloughs, reduce highest salary workers pay by 10% and those at the bottom by 1%.
GET BUSY! WE’LL VOTE!
December 10th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Sid is 1000% right on this one.
Unfortunately it seems like Republican politicians start spending like Democrats once they get elected. As other examples, just look at Bush on the national level and Crist on the state level. Atwater should be ashamed of himself and his caucus.
If these free spending Republicans don’t mend their ways, fiscally conservative and responsible candidates should challenge them in the next primary. A free spending Republican is either bought by the lobbyists, or a Democrat at heart.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Dinerstein is a hero to the people and a “REAL” Republican.
Taxpayers salute him for integrity and courage!
December 10th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Sid Dinerstein for Governor! Sid is the only NOT-PC Republican willing to stand up TALLER than the rest of the crowd and speak his mind. The world needs more Republicans like Sid. Clone, clone, clone Sid…or Adopt Sid for Governor.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Sid , is a hack like most Republican’s all talk no act. History shows that Republican’s all ways leave office owing more money then when they took office and it is all ways the Dem’s that have to come in and clean up the mess . This is a fact just research it , so there is nothing conservative about their spending except their talk it has all ways been this way …I wish they were the better spenders it would give me a reason to vote out side my party.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:50 am
What does this do for the heavy highway contractors? Nothing but take money away from the road projects that need it and when this occurs then the highway contractors that were able to survive this current economic crisis will have to let their workers go. Another republican maneuver to spend more flipping money that we don’t have.
December 10th, 2009 at 9:43 am
You tell them, Sid!
December 10th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Sid is a nutcase! This is the future Sid, guess you have never been to Europe and see how far behind we are in this nation on transportation.
December 10th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Those “conservatives” voting for this huge subsidy for TriRail which was $100 per roundtrip rider (and now will go beyond that) have clearly sold out their principles in exchange for $2.6B from the Feds.
If you’re looking for a serious fiscal conservative for the Palm Beach County Commission, then you only need to go to my website and/or check out today’s news: http://karldickey.org/press/20091210%20Time%20to%20Get%20Serious%20With%20the%20Palm%20Beach%20County%20Budget.htm
December 10th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Sure, Sid’s a real man of the people. Everyone should go see him at one of those Palm Tran meetings, where he talks to bus riders like they’re dirt and always cuts off other committee members. What this guys knows about transportation could easily fit on a postage stamp.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Wow sid seems to be going off the deep end lately. First he supports a democrat for mayor of lake worth and now he is criticizing his own party. Dd he not get the memo that he is the chairman of the county republican party???
December 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I think Sid “Dinosaur” needs to move on. What is he angry at … that George Elmore from Harddrives won’t get black top contracts for trains? We have had unchecked development in South Florida with no thought to the infrastructure and Sid still blocks the path of progressing with a conscience.
December 12th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Right on Sid, agree 100%. Glad there is a primary for senate 25 – it’s too bad that Ellyn Bogdanoff and Carl Domino have decided to put this major blemish on their records. Where has there ever been a passenger rail system that can survive without a subsidy? We should be thinking about the 10th amendment, not a further dependence on Washington for stimulus dollars.