SunRail-CSX deal is a $2.7 billion taxpayer train wreck
February 24, 2009 at 11:46 am by Kelly CorneliusBy Kelly Cornelius
PoHo contributor & R-LAND activist
This new CSX deal is so ugly it would make a freight train take a dirt road. It would cost taxpayers $1.2 billion, but according to this recent Orlando Sentinel article, that number could go up. According to a recent news release from Senator Paula Dockery, an opponent of the deal, the number is actually at $2.66 BILLION! She had the Florida Department of Transportation do a detailed cost estimate and this is what it produced.
Wasn’t this rotten deal only a paltry $649 million last year? I guess train track prices don’t go down in a recession, and neither did the number of disturbing details about this deal. Still present are the liability issues sticking taxpayers with the bill for negligence, the location issue (that send freight trains through downtown Lakeland) and, of course, there is that little matter of the cost. Not to mention the backroom way in which this scheme was originally cooked up. Taxpayers are getting totally railroaded. Some research finds that CSX is not a stranger to screwing Florida taxpayers; check out this article.
Recall last year’s deal was derailed at the last minute almost single-handedly due to the efforts of Senator Dockery, R from Lakeland. It isn’t that Ms. Dockery is against rail, in fact her track record shows quite the opposite. Ms. Dockery is one of the few politicians standing up against the misuse of taxpayer dollars and the very shady details of this potential purchase. Thank You Senator Dockery! Any chance we can talk you into moving to Hillsborough?
This website outlines the opposition’s arguments as well as most of the players (at least the official players). The website points out that it will only take 3,600 cars off 1-4 while adding 1,500 trucks. 3,600 cars for $2.66 billion……. you do the math. I was surprised to learn that the website is produced by former editorial page editor of the Tampa Tribune, Rosemary Goudreau.
The people’s Guvnah is supporting this deal (I am so shocked) this year. Is that a red light I see outside his office? Sadly our own local Representative Rich Glorioso, sadly, just voted to sell out Plant City. Pay close attention to the elected officials that support such a scheme and that should speak volumes. Some of the biggest proponents of the deal in its current form are: State Sen. J. D. Alexander, who has some seemingly glaring conflicts of interest and U.S. Rep John Mica,
Our stellar lawmakers shouldn’t even consider such a bad deal but I would bet they are counting on your apathy not to notice. If you have ever spent on day in Tallahassee watching them work then you would know that what goes on in the sunshine is almost as bad as what goes on behind closed doors because nobody is there to oversee them.
What can you do? You can contact Governor Charlie ‘ I heart Obama‘ Crist (-R or is it D? or is it just up for grabs to the highest bidder?) here. You can contact your local lawmakers here. Send a thank you note to Senator Dockery here as she appears to be the only one looking out for taxpayers who are lined up to be flattened by this train.
Update: Another article came out in the Orlando Sentinel, and this one line might just expose with why lawmakers seem so giddy about such a rotten deal. “More than 18 billion dollars worth of development could also occur within a half mile radius of the stations by 2028.” They also have a poll to see what you think. You can take that poll here.
