Tallahassee, Florida - Florida's Gov. Rick Scott is canceling plans for high-speed rail between Orlando and Tampa promoted by President Barack Obama, rejecting more than $2 billion from the federal government. The Republican governor said Wednesday the proposal is too costly and could put the state's taxpayers on the hook for roughly $3 billion. Scott said he believes that ridership and revenue projections tend to be too optimistic and would likely require ongoing state government subsidies.
Scott also said if the project failed, Florida would be required to refund the federal government's investment in the project.
Now New York Senator Charles Schumer wants to see that money redirected to New York. He said in a statement on Wednesday, “Florida’s loss should be New York’s gain. Other states may not be ready to unlock the potential of high-speed rail, but it is a top priority for upstate New York. We can put these funds to use in a way that gets the best bang for the buck. The administration should redirect these funds to New York as quickly as possible.”
Republican governors in Ohio and Wisconsin have also rejected high-speed rail plans.
