Senate signs off on rail deal, headed to guv
by Dara Kam | December 8th, 2009The Florida Senate gave a final thumbs-up on a rail bill that is now headed to Gov. Charlie Crist, who has pledged to sign it into law.
The third time was the charm for the chamber, which passed it with a 27-10 vote but had twice before refused to sign off on a Central Florida commuter rail project called “SunRail” included in the measure.
The House passed the bill yesterday and a last-minute deal between the AFL-CIO, the Department of Transportation and Tri-Rail officials paved the way for its passage in the Senate.
The bill includes up to $15 million a year for Tri-Rail, enough to keep its current 50 trains-a-day running. That will keep the commuter line and the state from having to pay back $256 million in federal funds that would have to be returned if the schedule had been cut.
The measure also allows state transportation officials to move forward with the purchase of 61 miles of railroad track from CSX Inc. for the SunRail Central Florida commuter project. That commuter line will run from Poinciana to Maitland and was another sticking point in the Senate.
The bill creates two statewide panels to oversee passenger rail and diverts $60 million a year from real estate sales taxes to be spent on rail projects beginning in 2014.
Tags: CSX, special session, SunRail, Tri-Rail
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December 8th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Did not the voters turn the idea down several years ago? Leave it Jeff Atwater to go against the will of the people for his own political purposes. What a diet bag!
December 8th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Were screwed.
December 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Fast transit system is a great idea – but we continue to use 1800′s technology that relies on an incredibly expensive railbed. The trains are not the hard part, it is the tremendously expensive railbed that must be completely level and everywhere it conflicts with existing infrastructure it must be given priority so roads and bridges must be moved. We try to place it away from the center of populated areas for that reason but then how do you get people to ride it and save time. Come on, someone has to have a better way to move people that is less expensive to build. !!!
December 8th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Just absurd. This will be the next government boondoggle. What happened to our supposedly fiscal conservative legislature?
Why does a stupid system pass?
December 8th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
How long do you think that $15M a year is going to last? I say in two years it will be gone!
December 8th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
This is a god sent more jobs for black youths that are currently unemployed and minorities. its about time that racist white people begin to pay and be taxed to create a just society with more jobs for african americans. thanks governor chris
December 8th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
HENRY FLAGLER RAILROADED US NOW CHARLIE CRIST!WALKIN LAWTON DID IT WITHOUT A TRAIN.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
george obviously you live a life of malcontent to think only black youths and minorities are the only ones unemployed.heard on monster.com that there hiring in cape town for african americans and minorities good luck to you.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
George: Study your history, please. When has the brotherhood of man EVER been furthered by inciting class hatreds? You can’t lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer, or help the poor by destroying the rich. It doesn’t work — never has, never will. You are trying to social engineer AGAINST human nature. If the citizens of Florida were clamoring for a rail solution for intra-state travel, I might understand it. This is a sham, and soon you will see the empty trains and know I am right.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
PLEASE FOLKS -
This commentary is about the unfortunate passing of the rail bill – - not of race or creed. Let’s stay on the subject – PLEASE!!!
I hate the passing of this Bill as much as you, but it has nothing to do with ethnic groups – unless we can create a NEW ethnic group called “Greased Politicians”…
December 8th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Its about time people wake up and realize that widening I-4 is not helping… For all you who are against it why dont you look past your FOX news station and travel overseas, you will realize rail systems actually work! Not too many traffic jams on Europes freeways! Welcome home SUNRAIL!
December 8th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
All of you sidewinded idiots on prozac that voted for this bill will soon be receiving your former employee benefits from your great former jobs. I am sure you sick bass turds will call this a threat however, I categorize it as a promise. You all promise anything in the world to get what you want. Charlie Crist promised someone before he was elected governor that when he was elected governor he would make him the head of the FDLE. One good promise deserves another. The corrupt will say and do anything to acheive their goals. That is what happened here the corrupt sold their souls for their corrupt cronies. re-elect no one. Put the corrupt to the curb at election time.
December 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
High speed rail systems do not work. In Europe, you have to have multiple auto stickers for the countries you travel to, or you have to pay expensive high speed rail.
High speed rail is going bankrupt in Europe.
Short, low-cost commuter planes are the cheapest method of travel in Europe.
The demand here will be lower. Why? Because this will be extravagantly expensive, gas is not $4.00 anymore (or 6+ like in Europe). If you want to speed up I4, start putting in more parallel toll roads, or loosen regulation on short distance commuter planes so people can actually enter the market.
No one in politics has a clue. No one has run a business. No one realizes how crippling all the stupidities of government can be.
December 8th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
How does spending billions of dollars to build a rail from Tampa to orlando benefit anyone who lives north of those areas. From the panhandle down to Orlando will be paying taxes so some people can save ten minutes of drive time. And what does I-4 have to do with it? 95% of the people in that area will not give up their cars.How many people JUST go to work and JUST go home? This isn’t NY where you live in a tentament your whole life. Florida is wide open spaces. Wait a minute… maybe it’s for tourism. cruise line passengers in Miami,go to Orlando and Busch Gardens.Got it !!
December 8th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
PS: Charlie and Steve .. you have lost my vote.
December 14th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
This is a great move by Florida. Anyone opposed must either be morons or so out of touch with the rest of the nation – dying to get high speed rail, intracity light rail, etc. This is a great investment in the future with many dividends to come and quality of life enhancements.