From AP Fla. scraps high-speed rail plan pushed by Obama
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Rick Scott canceled plans for a high-speed train line between Orlando and Tampa promoted by President Barack Obama, saying Wednesday it would cost the state too much even with $2.4 billion in federal help.
Cost overruns could put Florida on the hook for another $3 billion and once completed, there’s a good chance ridership won’t pay for the operating cost, meaning the state would have to pump more money into the line each year, Scott said.
“The truth is that this project would be far too costly to taxpayers and I believe the risk far outweighs the benefits,” the Republican governor said in a press release issued after he informed U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood of his decision.
It seems the federal government is having money “giving away” money for high speed rail. The federal government really should have focused on the Northeast Corridor, where it at least has a fighting chance.
David Levinson, Transportist 
What would happen if you put forth stimulus and no one wanted it?
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I’m sure the Governor’s office and the Florida Department of Transportation have a pretty good idea, by now, how much (and how little) actual risk the private sector would be willing to take on.
If you can’t come up with the front money, you’re not for real.
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Someone should report Rick Scott for engineering without a license – how else could he have made ridership predictions that contradicted those of the project engineers?
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