By Brian McBride
Associate Editor

Some local lawmakers and members of the business community expressed disappointment in the apparent death of Florida’s high-speed rail project after the state’s Supreme Court last week backed Gov. Rick Scott’s refusal to accept the $2.4 billion in federal grant funds to support it.

Osceola County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington said the project, which was expected to connect Tampa to Orlando, said the bullet train could have attracted new industry to the Central Florida area.

“It’s unfortunate the state of Florida won’t get to capitalize on the $2.4 billion of federal tax dollars,” he said. “It would have given us a lot of opportunity for future business.”

According to published reports, Scott said he believed the rail project would put Florida taxpayers on the hook for billions in cost overruns and operating subsidies; that led to his rejecting the money last month.

State Sens. Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa Democrat, and Thad Altman, a Viera Republican, disagreed and sued Scott last month, saying he overstepped his authority by refusing the federal funds.

However, the Florida Supreme Court, in a March 4 ruling, declared that Scott did not overstep his authority.

Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan said it was “disappointing” because so much effort had been put forth by counties and cities for the project.

“It would have been another alternative way of transportation,” he said.

The Polk County Board of County Commissioners, in a press release, announced strong support for the efforts by Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando mayors and other local, regional, state and federal leaders, as well as the private sector, in pursuing alternative plans for high-speed rail.

“We recognize the governor’s fiscal responsibility, but we also have to consider the long-term economic impact, as well as highway safety issues,“ Polk County Commission Chairman Edwin Smith stated. “We are interested in partnering with our neighbors to the east and west in order to keep the high-speed rail project viable.”

The Tampa/Orlando route included a stop near Celebration, which would have been good for the community, said Alfred Valentino, executive director of the newly formed Greater Celebration Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re disappointed that the high speed-rail project isn’t going to happen,” he said. “I was looking forward to the growth that it could have created business-wise.”

So far, Florida has spent about $26 million on the high-speed rail project, published reports said. That money went to such items as engineering work, surveys of the Interstate 4 median where the tracks were to run and a ridership study.

Scott said he opted to reject the federal dollars for three main reasons.

First, he predicted construction cost overruns would cost Florida taxpayers $3 billion.

Second, he said, low ridership would have required state subsidies. And finally, he said, if the project were shut down, the state would have to return the $2.4 billion to Washington, D.C., reports said.

State Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, sided with the Supreme Court decision.

“I think legally they are on sound footing,” he said.

Horner backed Scott, saying that, as governor, it was his decision to make.

“I could support high-speed rail if there was no cost to the state or to taxpayers,” Horner said.

State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, expressed her dismay about Scott’s decision in a prepared statement after speaking to the governor.

“I expressed my disappointment that Floridians will lose the opportunity to have the first true high-speed rail system in the nation and even more so in the loss of thousands of high-wage jobs that it would bring,” she said.

Dockery said seven teams were planning to bid on the Florida High Speed Rail project, representing companies from 11 different countries, including Japan, South Korea, Germany and France, all experts in building and operating high-speed rail systems. Each of these teams had ex-plicitly agreed to design, build, operate and maintain Florida’s high-speed rail system for a firm, fixed price, with no cost overruns and no subsidies, Dockery stated

“It was my hope and expectation that the governor would have allowed these teams to submit proposals before pulling the plug on this true public/private partnership that had little risk to the state and tremendous return to Floridians,” Dockery said.

Published reports said that the project would have created about 20,000 new jobs.

“I’m not an advocate of spending government money to create jobs,” Horner said. “Jobs should come from the private sector.”

Arrington said the project could have put the state in the running to bid for soccer’s next World Cup or even the Olympics.

“Hopefully, it will still happen somehow,” Valentino said.