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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 16, 2011
TAMPA - Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of $2.4 billion in federal high-speed rail funds stunned elected officials of both major parties Wednesday, prompting them to seek a statutory end-run on the governor's decision.
Members of Florida's Congressional delegation first scrambled unsuccessfully to get Scott to reconsider, then began exploring how a newly created entity apart from the Florida Department of Transportation might accept and use the federal allocation.
"I don't have a law school degree, but we are going to look at every option," said U.S. Rep John Mica, R-Winter Park, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Scott announced in a hastily called press conference Wednesday that he was rejecting the funds President Obama announced in a celebratory visit to Tampa in January 2010 to build the nation's first high-speed rail project in Florida by 2015.
State officials said it would create more than 23,000 jobs, many in construction fields where unemployment is nearly 20 percent.
The governor made his decision before FDOT updated ridership and revenue projections -- scheduled for completion within two weeks -- although Scott said he reviewed available highlights.
Instead Scott relied on a controversial January report by the libertarian think tank Reason Foundation, which contended Florida's project could cost $3 billion more than projected based on experience elsewhere. Robert Poole, the foundation's transportation director, was a member of Scott's economic transition team created before he took office to advise him.
Full story here: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/feb/16/160956/scott-turns-down-2-billion-in-federal-rail-money/news-breaking/
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