Is another Republican Governor about to kill a another High Speed Rail project?

[liberal N proud]

Scott getting pressure to turn down rail money

TAMPA The federal government's offer to give Florida more than $2 billion for a high-speed rail line is still on the table, but the voices that might influence the governor to turn down the money are growing louder.

On Wednesday, one of the most powerful people in state government, incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R- Merritt Island, told The News Service of Florida the tab might still be too high for the state. The current proposal calls for a $2.7 billion project, of which the federal government would pay $2.4 billion, with the state on the hook for the rest.

And on Thursday, the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation released a report that said Florida taxpayers should either cancel the high-speed rail project or build it with strict financial controls to limit the state's financial obligations. The foundation bills itself as a non-partisan organization that promotes libertarian principles.

Gov. Scott said last week he wants to review updated high-speed rail ridership and cost reports that state planners will complete by February or March before deciding on whether to accept the federal funds

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/07/scott-getting-pressure-to-turn-down-rail-money/news-breaking/

[mzteris]

1. they're all insane!

stupid. short-sighted. spiteful. narrow-minded. ignorant. backward-thinking. just stupid. :sigh:

[Ganja Ninja]

2. That about covers it.

I can't think of a stupider move for Florida to make right now than to drop this project.

It use to be that this country looked abroad and aspired to be equal or better. Nowadays anything foreign is dismissed by the yahoos of the right as being the last thing we should even consider.

[madrchsod]

3. more money for the rest of us!

illinois received some of ohio and wisconsin`s and we`ll gladly accept florida`s!

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

5. Hear Hear!

:fistbump:

[madrchsod]

11. that train ride to galena goes through a beautiful part of illinois

[liberal N proud]

6. Ohio and Wisconsin project killed by incoming Republican Governors

Item: Two major high-speed rail projects -- in Wisconsin and Ohio -- have been cancelled by the incoming governors because of an excessive cost burden the operation of the new rail services would have imposed on state taxpayers.

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/uncertain-future-high-speed-rail-program

[ladjf]

4. Republican politics are firmly rooted in a base if ignorance. nt

[DemoTex]

7. Could the airlines be behind this?

The airlines certainly blocked high-speed rail in Texas for years. Now - ironically (or otherwise) - three of the strongest airlines in the US are based in Texas: American, Southwest (which recently acquired AirTran), and Continental/United.

Delta (which merged with Northwest) is based in Georgia (dominated by the GOP) and USAirways (which merged with America West a few years back) is headquartered in Arizona - and we all know about Arizona.

The airlines are thick with the GOP for many reasons, union-busting and labor-bashing chief among them. But the airlines certainly have a dog in the high-speed rail fight, and I don't think they are sitting idly by when their turf is threatened by a far superior domestic transportation system.

[liberal N proud]

8. Them and the oil companies

Keep draining our pockets feeding the current forms of transportation.

[DemoTex]

10. Oh, for sure!

That almost goes without saying. Atavistic Oil, LLC.

[jillan]

9. That money needs to be used for taxcuts for the rich, not jobs

or progress in our cities!

:grr: