A Simple Solution to Our Rail-Transit Problems

[FayeforCure]

A simple solution to our rail-transit problems

By JIM SMITH Guest Columnist


Published: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7:15 p.m.

With the economic and transit future of Florida at stake, state elected officials from Gov. Charlie Crist on down are wheeling and dealing instead of addressing a simple problem in a straight forward manner.

Here's the simple problem:

Tri-Rail, Florida's only rail-transit system, is failing because past and current governors and legislators have not been able to approve a dedicated revenue source of funding.

Now, the situation is so severe that the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority has authorized the use of capital funds in order for Tri-Rail to meet its daily payroll.

If Tri-Rail fails, the consequences are enormous. Thousands of jobs will be lost; residents of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, who account for 30 percent of Florida's population, will be left without their primary north-south passenger rail service; more cars will clog our roads (especially Interstate 95); air pollution will increase and so too will our dependency on foreign oil; and, finally, the state will be held responsible for repaying a $256 million grant.

To add even more urgency to the problem, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has put Florida on notice that, unless a dedicated revenue source for Tri-Rail is approved before January, Florida will lose its chance to be awarded $2.5 billion for bullet trains as part of the stimulus package.

The federal government will decide in January which states receive bullet-train funding. If Tri-Rail's dedicated funding is not approved before then, the bullet-train money will go to other states that have financially supported their commuter rail systems.

So, unless the governor, the Senate president and the House speaker call a special session before January, and the legislators pass and Crist approves a dedicated revenue source for Tri-Rail, Florida will be a big loser.

That's the simple problem, and here's the simple solution:

First, call the special session in December. Then, approve the $2-per-day car-rental surcharge that has been proposed by South Florida regional authority and previously supported by some state legislators.

Everyone wants a painless a way to pay and the surcharge is a perfect solution, since the impact on Floridians will be minimal. The surcharge won't apply to an owner of a motor vehicle who rents a car while his auto is in the shop for maintenance or repair. And, realistically, the surcharge will not prevent a single visitor from coming to Florida or renting a car. By the way, Utah has an $8-per-day car rental surcharge.

That's the simple solution to the simple problem.

Will our governor and state legislators act responsibly to solve this simple problem?

I don't know, but I do know that we can stop this catastrophe if we all do our part in convincing Gov. Charlie Crist and our state legislators to act in the best interest of the people of Florida.


Jim Smith is chairman of Safety As Floridians Expect, which advocates for motorist, pedestrian and bicyclist safety. He lives in Delray Beach. E-mail: jamesejimchar@aol.com

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20091117/COLUMNIST/911171038/-1/NEWSSITEMAP

[JeffreyS]

We need to pass the $2 surcharge and it should not be tied to SunRail. The $2 surcharge should be statewide and support all of our rail endeavors including SkyWay and Streetcars.

[CS Foltz]

JeffreyS..........I agree! $2 is a small price to pay and it should not be tied to SunRail exclusively, that should be Statewide for all existing systems and those to come!

[buckethead]

We need to pass the $2 surcharge and it should not be tied to SunRail. The $2 surcharge should be statewide and support all of our rail endeavors including SkyWay and Streetcars.

A surchage attached to what? Rental cars? Property Taxes?

[Doctor_K]

Car rentals.

[Ocklawaha]

Better make that $5.00, fact is auto usage in cities with commuter rail is starting to ebb. The result of the cut back is not unlike gas taxes, less and less income and more and more places to spend it. With such basic problems with Tallahassee, South Florida, Jacksonville leadership, we have no business with a high speed "train set for a rat." In fact some of the "stupid" going on in South/North Florida could be political retaliation for Mickey getting all of the attention. Let's get on with Amtrak and Commuter Rail, THEN revisit the high speed rail plan.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock............as you have pointed out........."Rat Rail" ain't gonna get it! I still say that is not the region for a showcase system of true HSR! Amtrak to Miami is a better deal and has more potential over a longer period of time with a cost much less to initiate! Cheaper is better to start with......system is there now (CSX tracks in place at this time) work out a lease arrangement and go for it! No building any tracks at this time, establish service and prove cost effectiveness and away we go!

[Ocklawaha]

We're on the cusp of 90 mph passenger service on the Florida East Coast Ry. through Amtrak and a federal incentive. Look for 2 daily trains each way,  to roll in the fall of 2012, with 3 more to follow shortly. I do agree with you that this shouldn't mean we abandon the CSX A or S line. One route via Ocala and the other via Orlando. Both have the potential to serve Tampa and Miami. Beyond this the FEC without the CSX means permanent abandonment of services to Winter Haven, Sebring, Dade City, Wildwood, and Gainesville/(via Waldo). These wild ass Florida HSR plans ignore long standing travel patterns, appear unresponsive to known demands, they are reckless, unsustainable, and downright dangerous.


OCKLAWAHA

[aaapolito]

I want rail just as badly as everyone else, but $2 is a lot of money.  Taxes and other fees relating to car rentals are already high, and another $2 may deter some people from renting cars in Florida.  And while I agree that may be the end goal, the State may not receive the necessary funds if less people rent cars.

[CS Foltz]

I agree! Have said before.............the $2 Dollar Fee is fine and dandy but a Plan B would be nice! I don't like having all of my eggs in one basket! In order to fully fund any mass transit system will take funding, dedicated, and sufficient to build from scratch! I say "GO FOR IT"!