Why Does Florida Need Amtrak?

dougskiles · February 17, 2011, 08:42:37 PM

FEC/Amtrak

tufsu1 · February 17, 2011, 09:41:40 PM

Quote from: fsujax on February 17, 2011, 07:26:34 PM
FEC/AMTRAK the money could be better spent by connecting the entire State with improved Amtrak service!

I agree...dollar for dollar, FEC/ASmtrak is a much better investment...that said, FDOT applied for stimulus funds for both projects...HSR got funded, FEC didn't.

so, I'll ask another question...knowing that the $ can't be reallocated to other projects in Florida, would you rather do HSR or send the money to another state?

yapp1850 · February 17, 2011, 10:28:38 PM

do you think amtrak will come it and take over if rick scott and us dot let take over and have the high speed rail done right it will be delayed if amtrak took control of it.

tufsu1 · February 17, 2011, 10:33:12 PM

nope...Amtrak isn't exactly private...although they are on one of the 8 interested consortiums... plus Mica hates Amtrak and isn't going to let them in.

yapp1850 · February 17, 2011, 10:52:26 PM

nelson is talking about amtrak, local mpo, local transit hart/tbarta to take over control from the state and the private sector will pay 300 million and amtrak could risk on the operation side, but i just wonder do if is possible pull something off, john mica has never like amtrak he still think some private company would take over the northeast and the profits will go through the roof with out tax support.

mtraininjax · February 18, 2011, 08:32:29 AM

State could fund the 150 million for FEC/Amtrak and the investment would be much better than 2.4 billion for something that is unknown, unproven and untested in our state. We have Amtrak and it is successful. Mica sure acts more like a Democrat than a Republican!

tufsu1 · February 18, 2011, 10:12:04 AM

but the state is likely not putting up any of the money for HSR...so $150 million for FEC would be extra....I'm totally ok with that, but do you think Scott would be?

Mattius92 · February 18, 2011, 11:04:59 AM

PETITION!!! Well anyways I dont think we have much hope while Scott is in office, and I do say I was a little excited about the Tampa-Orlando HSR because I was planning on attending USF (UCF doesn't have my major), but I wanted to go to Orlando a couple times a month. Despite it dying, I would much rather see the FEC/Amtrack because I know it would be much better for the money. There are so many towns and cities that would benefit from it.

thelakelander · February 18, 2011, 11:11:57 AM

Let's see how the next week plays out.....

QuoteFrom Washington to Tallahassee, Florida lawmakers scrambled Thursday to save $2.4 billion in federal money for high-speed rail that Gov. Rick Scott rejected.

In Washington, members of Floridaâ€™s Congressional delegation met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who gave them one week to cobble together a complicated deal that would give the money to a private entity such as Amtrak or a regional planning organization.

â€œThe cartâ€™s in a ditch right now and weâ€™ve got to figure out a way if we can all pull it out together,â€ said U.S. Rep. John Mica, an Orlando area Republican who is chairman of the powerful House transportation committee.

In Tallahassee, a veto-proof majority of the Florida Senate rebuked Scott in a letter that urged the federal government to give the state the money Scott has refused.

â€œPolitics should have no place in the future of Floridaâ€™s transportation, as evidenced by this letter of bipartisan support,â€ said the letter, signed by 26 members of the Republican-controlled Florida Senate.

full article: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/17/v-fullstory/2072075/scott-rebuked-by-26-senators-over.html#ixzz1EK87sA2C

Mattius92 · February 18, 2011, 11:18:59 AM

I hope they put him in line...

JeffreyS · February 18, 2011, 11:28:31 AM

I agree Matt let's (legislativly) chain that mutt.

dougskiles · February 18, 2011, 02:03:57 PM

Quoteâ€œPolitics should have no place in the future of Floridaâ€™s transportation, as evidenced by this letter of bipartisan support,â€ said the letter, signed by 26 members of the Republican-controlled Florida Senate

Politics has no place in transportation issues? Well then, how does the voting public effect the outcome?

thelakelander · February 18, 2011, 02:59:32 PM

The voting public didn't decide to send back the $2.4 billion (proven by the vocal outrage across the state), one individual did. The quote basically means personal politics (which in this case appears to be non fact based) should not be able to trump realistic transportation needs. If Rick, doesn't like the concept of rail, he doesn't have to ride on it. However, he should not be able to kill such a major project on his own because of a political or personal bias.

mtraininjax · February 18, 2011, 04:02:57 PM

How is Amtrak a private entity? Did the government sever the 1 billion it gives it every year? Is it self-sustaining now on its own? Private entity, really?

Quotebut the state is likely not putting up any of the money for HSR...so $150 million for FEC would be extra....I'm totally ok with that, but do you think Scott would be?

Scott backs a winner, and Amtrak service in Florida is a winner. Mica should get off us butt and fix the east/west train that ran from Jax to New Orleans and get that going again. Or get the FEC/Amtrak running again. That 150 million will be recouped quickly with people cutting 4-5 hours off and going to Daytona and St. Augustine again.

thelakelander · February 18, 2011, 04:07:49 PM

What winner is Scott backing? He wants federal HSR money used to widen I-4, which is clearly not going to happen.