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Paula Dockery, state senator, R-Lakeland:

"This morning, Governor Scott had his Secretary of Transportation announce that he will betray the trust of the conservative electorate who put him in office by moving forward with the least cost-efficient commuter rail project in the nation. This decision has completed the governor's transformation from businessman to political insider. When the SunRail/CSX commuter project is viewed from a purely business vantage point, the project falls so far below what a savvy business owner would accept that it is somewhat baffling.

"It is unclear if when making the decision the governor had a change of heart, if he simply succumbed to the desires of the big money special interests, or if he has a severe case of amnesia and thought that he was supposed to be representing CSX instead of Florida's taxpayers. Governor Scott's general counsel, a former CSX executive, admitted to giving blatantly false financial facts regarding high-speed rail in front of the Florida Supreme Court. For that reason, it is overwhelmingly disappointing but not altogether surprising that the facts about SunRail, a sacred cow of special interests, would be ignored and the decision would be based upon arguments put forward by highly paid public relations consultants, using Floridians' tax dollars.

"The facts are as follows: Nationwide, this is the lowest rated project for cost-effectiveness by the federal government, low ridership estimates, excessive liability is transferred from a for-profit corporation onto all Florida citizens, and it is a blank check waiting to be written by the taxpayers for any and all cost-overruns and operating subsidies. While 'warnings' were given to the local governments during Tuesday's dog and pony show, this fact remains: the agreement between the federal government and the state of Florida clearly places the financial responsibility for all but $300 million of a $2.6 billion project squarely on the backs of Florida taxpayers."


Beth Dillaha, president, Veto SunRail:

"I am very disappointed for I had supported and voted for Governor Scott for his promise to put Florida taxpayers first, to hold government accountable and to put an end to 'business as usual' in Tallahassee. 

'Approval of the FFGA (federal agreement) places 100 percent of the risk for the failures of SunRail on the backs of the Florida taxpayers. The terms of this agreement should have been rejected by the governor or, in the least, renegotiated. USDOT was all too willing to negotiate the egregious terms concerning high-speed rail when Governor Scott rejected the deal as being too risky for Florida taxpayers and providing no return on investment to taxpayers.

"Governor Scott could have also required an agreement between the Central Florida local governments that commit them to covering 100 percent of all costs associated with SunRail, including liability for accidents, cost overruns, defaults on project deliverables and to cover the federal funding shortfalls. That would have eliminated Florida taxpayer risk and ensured local politicians, who will be gone in seven years, had skin in the game.

"Unfortunately, the short-term interests of those who will make money off this project have trumped the long-term interests of the taxpayers that will be responsible for paying the deficits for generations to come.

"The silver lining in this, however, is that the light has been shone on SunRail as the poster child for bad rail projects and government waste. As the New York Times reported, this project is the least cost-effective in the nation, is a sweetheart deal for CSX and is the pet project of John Mica. The people of Florida are now informed and that’s a good thing."