State Senator accuses AAF of "extraterritorial taxation"

[spuwho]

Here is a new term I haven't heard of.

Per the Orlando Sentinel:

OIA-to-Miami All Aboard Florida train system gets more opposition

By Dan Tracy, Orlando Sentinel
7:02 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2014

Opposition continued to grow Tuesday against the train system that would link Orlando International Airport to South Florida.

State Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne, announced he would seek an opinion from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on whether an agreement the so-called All Aboard Florida train has reached with the Central Florida Expressway Authority is fair to the two counties he represents, Brevard and Indian River.

The deal that allows the train to use land on the BeachLine Expressway for its tracks is worded in such a way that All Aboard Florida might never build a stop in either county, Altman contends.

"This is an extraterritorial tax imposed by the Expressway Authority," he said in a release.

All Aboard officials have said they have no intention of stopping in either county because they plan to operate an express service catering to tourists and business people between Orlando International and West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.


The $2.5 billion system could be running in South Florida by late 2016, and then into Orlando International by summer 2017.

Critics of the plan have been organizing in counties north of West Palm, leading Gov. Rick Scott to ask the federal government to lengthen an environmental review of the project.

Some people living along the Treasure Coast, including Brevard, Martin and Indian River, claim the train would harm the quality of life in towns along its path by tying up traffic, as well as encourage more gambling in South Florida and suck up tax dollars for private gain.

"I no longer call it All Aboard Florida but 'Not Onboard Florida,'" Altman said.

All Aboard Florida called the deal fair and equitable and said they are willing to speak with Treasure Coast officials. Officials at the expressway authority and Bondi's office declined comment, saying they had not seen Altman's request.

[thelakelander]

How many leaders and residents outside of the Treasure Coast don't want AAF? The same counties that spearheaded the push to get Amtrak on the same line, a few years back.  I wonder if most of the complaining would go away if they got a station?

[spuwho]

An "extraterritorial tax" (if I can translate him) would be to collect taxes for one county to spend in another county.

I read the contract between AAF and the OOCEA and while there is some horse trading in there to placate the Mormons at Deseret, AAF is paying to lease the access for 99 years.

When I calculated the impact of all of the lease costs and other value AAF had to throw in to make the contract work, it came out to something less than $.50 per 1 way fare for the life of the lease.

I followed all of the public hearings FDOT had on the Beachline lease, and while 6 other entities showed up, only AAF actually made the bid. Everything was out in the open per the laws.

The terms of the lease are posted publicly for everyone to see.

I am not sure what "taxation" AAF could apply to those counties or through the tollway.  AAF is paying for the new exit on the Beachline to support Deseret. OOCEA isn't planning on raising their tolls to subsidize AAF. In fact OOCEA is trying to get some construction work done and needed to know the when/where/how AAF was going to work on their ROW.

Until I see a better explanation, it sounds like political double talk to placate some voters.