Newly elected Governor Rick Scott of Florida isn’t just a Medicare-cheat, he’s also a moronic ideologue. The federal government was offering to give his state two billion dollars to build a high-speed rail line from Orlando to Tampa, and the governor just simply rejected it.
“I’m not comfortable this is a project we should be doing,” Scott said at a hastily called news conference in Tallahassee after a phone conversation with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Scott said he was not sure high-speed rail would bring taxpayers a return on their investment and he felt money would be better spent on state highway and seaport improvements.
Let’s say for the sake of argument that Floridians would not get a good return on their federal income tax investment by getting two billion dollars pumped back into their state. What Gov. Scott is missing is that the money will not now be spent on Florida’s highways or ports. Want proof? State Sen. Jack Latvala is a Republican representing the St. Petersburg area (across the Bay from Tampa). Sen. Latvala is also the chairman of the Florida Senate Committee on Transportation. Here’s what he had to say about Gov. Scott’s decision:
“Making this decision, at this point, on a project that could mean 12,000 to 14,000 jobs is very premature,’’ said Latvala, R-St. Petersburg. “I have been consistent in saying we ought to at least let the private companies go to bid and let it play out.
“It’s in his court and I’m very disappointed he made this decision without consulting the Legislative branch. I visited with him yesterday and I had no inkling that they were heading in this direction. It shows kind of a lack of understanding and respect for the legislative process. It’s supposed to be a collaborative process — where the governor and Legislature work together — and this is not an example of working together.” …
… “We’ve cut off our nose to spite our face,’’ Latvala said. “To think that this money is going to go back into the federal treasury is ridiculous. The money will be going straight to California” and its proposed rail project.
This was basically confirmed by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in a press release this afternoon.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: “We are extremely disappointed by Governor Rick Scott’s decision to walk away from the job creating and economic development benefits of high speed rail in Florida. We worked with the governor to make sure we eliminated all financial risk for the state, instead requiring private businesses competing for the project to assume cost overruns and operating expenses. It is projects like these that will help America out-build our global competitors and lay the foundation needed to win the future.
This project could have supported thousands of good-paying jobs for Floridians and helped grow Florida businesses, all while alleviating congestion on Florida’s highways. Nevertheless, there is overwhelming demand for high speed rail in other states that are enthusiastic to receive Florida’s funding and the economic benefits it can deliver, such as manufacturing and construction jobs, as well as private development along its corridors.”
The governor has pissed off scores of politicians in both parties who can’t understand why he is such a fool. Look, this is what happened last November. Ohio and Wisconsin also elected ideological dolts to run their states and both of them similarly rejected money for high-speed rail. Apparently, there’s something un-American about moving from one place to another in a car that can seat more than seven people.
If you turn down two billion dollars and that money goes to another state, how have your improved your constituents’ return on investment? If you have an answer, you probably voted Republican last fall. You got what you deserve.