Local efforts to circumvent Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of high-speed rail funds will likely lead to a dead end, but debate over the project is creating fissures in the state's Republican Party.

Spurred on by Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and a handful of sympathetic GOP lawmakers, the Tampa Bay Partnership and Central Florida Partnership are exploring the idea of taking the federal stimulus dollars and pushing ahead with the HSR project.

"We respect the governor’s commitment to fiscal responsibility ... but we can't afford to allow this opportunity to pass us by," the partnerships' two chief executives said in a joint statement this week.

"Congress will be voting to extend transportation appropriations on March 4. High-speed rail falls under this umbrella so all funding must be allocated to specific projects at that time in order for that extension to be approved," said Tampa Bay Partnership chief Stuart Rogel and Central Florida Partnership president Jacob Stuart.

Nelson, after meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week, suggested that a local or regional approach could allow Florida to hold onto the $2.4 billion in federal stimulus funds even without Gov. Scott's approval.

But there's a problem with that end-run. The state owns more than 90 percent of the land along the proposed high-speed corridor, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Without state approval, neither federal nor local agencies can proceed on that property -- most of it running along Interstate 4.

Any land dispute would have to be settled in Tallahassee, where Republicans have splintered on the high-speed rail issue. The outcome will say as much about the direction of the state's GOP as the fate of high-speed rail.

"It's ultimately the governor's decision," said Scott spokesman Brian Hughes. "It's absolutely within his authority to do everything he can to protect the taxpayers."


A DEAD LETTER FROM DOCKERY

House Speaker Dean Cannon and Senate President Mike Haridopolos support Scott's rejection of federal funding, but 26 state senators -- half of them Republicans -- signed a letter this week asking LaHood to give Florida a second chance.

"In December of 2009, members of the Florida Legislature voted to create the Florida Rail Enterprise and the Florida Statewide Passenger Rail Commission," the letter stated. "The enterprise could have the ability to independently move forward with Florida's plans for high-speed rail. Please give us the time necessary."

The letter was instigated by state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, a longtime advocate of the high-speed rail project. Her husband, C.C. "Doc" Dockery, chaired the now-defunct Florida High-Speed Rail Commission and was a member of the state's High-Speed Rail Authority.

Other Republican senators signing on included Mike Bennett, Andy Gardiner, Mike Fasano, Dennis Jones, Jack Latvala, Stephen Wise, Greg Evers, Nancy Detert, Thad Altman, Ellyn Bogdanoff and Lizbeth Benacquisto. All but four are from Central Florida.

Dockery's role is intriguing, if not surprising, since she campaigned for Scott against fellow Republican Bill McCollum and was a leader on Scott's transition team. At one point, Dockery was considered a contender to be his lieutenant governor.

Hughes said the governor still considers Dockery "an ally and a friend."

"He welcomes her advice and looks forward to working with her on issues in the future," Hughes said. But he added that Dockery's letter would "not be a factor in the governor's absolute commitment to protect Florida's taxpayers from the potential $3 billion burden [the HSR line] represents."

Dockery did not return a call from Sunshine State News.

Like Scott, Dockery does not always adhere to conventional party lines. While she favors high-speed rail, she has been an outspoken opponent of the proposed SunRail commuter train system in Central Florida -- a venture favored by virtually every Orlando-area lawmaker.

Haridopolos declined to comment on Dockery's letter or impact on the  Senate. "It's a member-driven process," Haridopolos spokesman Brian Burgess said.

But Haridopolos and Cannon have made it clear that they firmly oppose President Barack Obama's failed stimulus agenda.