Gov. Scott Rejects Revised Florida High-Speed Rail Plan

This carpetbagger promises jobs then kills a job-creating program. Typical liar. Ed.

Feb. 7: Florida Gov. Rick Scott announces his new budget during a Tea Party event in Eustis, Fla.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Despite assurances from the federal government that Florida would not be at financial or legal peril, Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday rejected a revised $2.4 billion offer to build a high-speed rail system between Tampa and Orlando. 

Scott said Thursday that he worries ridership studies for the bullet train are overly optimistic and combined with likely cost overruns, the state's taxpayers still would be on the hook to cover any losses. 

Last week, the Republican governor canceled plans for a state-managed project for those reasons and said he would return the $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money. Federal officials then came up with a plan to turn the project over to local governments, but it still needed state approval. 

"We have repeatedly and clearly told Gov. Scott and his staff that Florida would not bear financial or legal liabilities," said Olivia Alair, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Transportation. "There is strong private sector interest in taking on the risk associated with building and operating high-speed rail in the state."

But despite those assurances and lobbying from various other interested parties, Scott wouldn't budge as Friday's deadline approached. 

"I'm not convinced," he repeated several times Thursday while attending space shuttle Discovery's 39th and final launch at Cape Canaveral. 

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, said Scott's decision to reject the offer is a "monumental mistake" that he said would have created 24,000 new jobs in central Florida. 

"Given the hard times we're all facing, it was a chance to bring thousands of new jobs to Florida," Nelson said. "Our money and jobs will end up in California, New York or Rhode Island. These states have been clamoring for help with their high-speed rail projects." 

Scott was elected in November on a campaign theme of "Let's Get to Work," and promised he would create 700,000 new jobs in Florida over a seven-year period. 

"High-speed rail is not a partisan issue," said Nelson, adding that Scott may be exceeding his constitutional authority and playing politics with the issue. "It is a way to fortify our state's transportation network and foster growth." 

Republicans nationally have been cool to President Obama's push for modernizing the country's rail system.

From: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/25/gov-scott-rejects-revised-florida-high-speed-rail-plan/