Law to hobble Brightline proposed

[spuwho]

Whose fault is this?  I am sure Brightline would have liked to have a stop in Vero Beach but Vero is leading the charge against rail.  Vero doesn't have a station by their own choice.

The Treasure Coast was one of the biggest proponent for intercity rail on the FEC before Brightline came online.  At the time, Amtrak was looking at a new route between Jax and Miami. That project would have included stations in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Stuart.



Brightline isn't stopping there initially but it doesn't mean that a stop can't happen in the future (ex. Brevard wasn't getting one initially and now an additional stop there is being looked at).  IMO, this whole thing has NIMBY all over it.  If they had a stop or two, they'd be just excited as they were about Amtrak being subsidized to the tune of millions to provide a lower quality intercity service along this corridor.

Great point.

A point that has been shared many times with the Not All Aboard and CARE crowd all too much.

Why is it OK to use tax revenue collected in Wakulla to fix a road in Vero Beach, but not vice versa?

They scream liberty and fair taxation and no subsidies, yet they benefit from subsidies from all directions.

They have no answer for that.

Someone suggested that the TC come up with its own post hurricane funding model.

Why should someone in Utah pay a federal tax to support FEMA in Florida to reconstruct their beach and marine lifestyle?

If the TC is against AAF on this principal, then its a no win scenario.

[Kerry]

I have said all along, the Treasure Coast will be on hand and knee begging for a station after they have exhausted all options to stop it.

[spuwho]

Florida press outside of the TC seems to be weighing in that this proposed HSR law is no good and should be voted down.

Orlando City Council sez, "do not pass this law"

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-orlando-opposes-brightline-bill-resolution-20170410-story.html

Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article141614299.html

[thelakelander]

The 2017 Legislative Session is over.  This bill is one of several that did not pass.

[spuwho]

The 2017 Legislative Session is over.  This bill is one of several that did not pass.

I didnt think it would make it myself. It played well in the TC for the representative who put it up.  Word on the street, the rep isnt a player in any of the moving and shaking in Tallahassee and had no political points to call in.

Essentially DOA.