Posted on 10/11/2001 4:31:24 AM PDT by summer
High-speed rail authority chair says train project moving ahead
Thursday, October 11, 2001
By JACKIE HALLIFAX, Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE — Plans for the first leg of a fast train that eventually is to run all across Florida are under way and moving forward, the chairman of the High Speed Rail Authority said Wednesday.
And the project seems to hold a lot of interest in the private sector, Fred Dudley told the Senate Transportation Committee.
Several consortiums of engineering and other firms made bids to become the authority's general consultant and to get the planning and design job, Dudley told the lawmakers.
Voters last fall approved a constitutional amendment requiring state leaders to begin construction by November 2003 of a high-speed rail that ultimately will link the Florida's five major urban areas.
State lawmakers this spring created the rail authority to start planning the fast train with a route linking Tampa Bay and Orlando. The idea is to have the train built and run by a private company on state land.
The authority is to report back to the Legislature by the end of the year with preliminary plans.
Dudley said he had been skeptical there would be much interest in the private sector in taking a gamble on the project.
"There is no high-speed rail system in this country and there's no high-speed rail system anywhere in the world that does not operate without a substantial public subsidy," he said.
That made him believe the private sector would be leery of jumping on board the Florida project.
But there's clearly "tremendous interest" by private companies, Dudley said.
Sen. Jim Sebesta, the St. Petersburg Republican who chairs the committee, said he was blown away by the interest he has observed from the private sector.
Dudley told the lawmakers the authority has largely used the $4.5 million it was given on the consultants but has a good chance of getting another $4.5 million in federal money.
He also told the committee he would not lobby them to exempt the high-speed rail authority from budget cuts, promising instead that the panel would do the best it could with what money it had after any funding cuts approved in a special session later this month.
= BOONDOGGLE
I agree a high speed rail could and would increase mobility between major cities, however, my thinking at the ballot was, if it was profitable how come private industry hadn't already provided it. This will be another tax payer supported service that many will not use the same way many do not use the tri-county transit Bus system here in Central Florida.
If it's such a good deal, LET PRIVATE INDUSTRY PROVIDE IT!
Profitibality does not come by way of Tax Increases, except by the government
I say let the Theme Parks and Tourist Interests combine to build avenues between themselves. I seem to remember, Disney a few years back wanted to build a MonoRail system from OIA to their park, Sea World and other parks at the time cried foul at the time and the deal was quashed.
I am also not ignorant to the fact we need transit relief, I drive on these roads. How about diverting money from some road projects (without raising taxes), to me it seems plausible to then create something like this with Tax Payer monies. It may take a few years but it does not have to be built in a day
Thanks for the post summer
Just as private industry provides for the construction of highways, airports and the maintenence of the air traffic control system?
Private industry does not supply the money (except through taxation like the rest of us) for Road Construction or Air Ports, as far as Air Traffic Control, I am not sure, I would guess that is also tax revenues. Private industry does build and benefit from these facilites being built through gvmt contracts.
My point is exactly what you are saying. Roads, Highways and Airports are one thing but the actual movement of people is another. Take CSX, they own most of the Railroad tracks in the US, they charge for freight to be moved along their lines. As far as I know they are not a government facility. Delta, American Airline and Southwest are private businesses and they move people and cargo and have to make a profit to stay in business.
In my view we pay enough taxes, State & Federal, to deal with our mass transit systems (ie: Highways & Roads). When the voters passed this referendum, there was no price tag, no source of revenue, no discussion just "Hey What a Great Idea This Might Be!". The people of Florida obviously bought the farm on this one. We don't need another Tax Payer Subsidized Transit System. I do not want to give Florida or the Feds the open door to soak me for more tax dollars.
By the way: Wasn't our Railroad system in this country implemented and funded by individuals and not the Federal government? These individuals expected to turn a profit or they lost their butts and went bankrupt. The big difference is, we as taxpayers are expected to keep investing in things that should be bankrupted by private industry standards.
I appreciate your comments and sorry for the long post
Also, I am a homeowner and a consumer and by government standards I am considered rich. You know anyone who makes more than 20K a year.
I have not seen the prohibition clause in the State Constitution concerning a State tax. I do know that it has come up on several occasions to get it on the ballot for voter approval. The reason we do not have a State tax is because a lot of State revenue is derived from the tourism industry and voters in Florida would (and I believe have) vote(d) it down.
Voters who willingly go to the polls and vote for something like this (bullet train/high speed rail) without counting the cost may wind up opening the doors for such a tax to cover the cost. They have already spent over 4M just as a feasability study. I am praying we can get our tourism industry turned around or we may be faced with it anyway.
My thought: It takes a referendum to enact a tax, however, it does not usually take one to increase an existing tax.
Please understand, I am for what is good for Florida, I understand it takes taxes to implement services for the good of all. I certainly pay my fair share, I Vote and try to stay on top of issues that concern my interests and my fellow Floridians (I am a Native Floridian, born here). I however have my family resposibilities and the more taxes taken out of my check the more I can not give and provide to my children (I say NO TAXES, it's for the Children!).
Sorry for the rant, We have seen enough wasted tax dollars in the last 10 years to pay for this probably more than once. 10M just last year in Lake County School Board alone. Oops, just don't know where it went and teachers take the hit. I will stop now.
Thanks for the State Tax catch in my post. I know we may disagree on this issue and that's ok, I appreciate your reasonable responses and your comments
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