LETTER to the EDITOR

Editor:

The members of Florida's oldest profession, our legislators and governor, are about to adopt a proposal that conveys $491 million of our transportation tax dollar to CSX Railroad. Does "Bullet Train" and "High Speed Rail" come to mind? The following information from the Associated Press explains how this has happened.

• Nov. 4, 2004 - Floridians overwhelmingly repealed an amendment they had passed four years ago requiring the state to build a network of fast trains. The measure passed with 4,376,611 votes, or 64 percent. Yet high-speed rail is not dead, say train backers. The only certainty coming from the vote is that the project is no longer mandated by the constitution; if companies or lawmakers want to continue, there's nothing stopping them.

• Nov. 11, 2004 - Bullet train panel forges ahead despite amendment repeal… Authority members said the vote has not killed the project. Instead, they said, the citizens' decision was a cure for freer thinking.

• June 18, 2005 - The board charged with overseeing creation of a Florida high-speed train is still chugging along, more than half a year after voters yanked the bullet train provisions from the state constitution. The removal of the constitutional provision did nothing to abolish the legislatively created authority.

• Nov. 27 - The state will pay CSX Transportation, Inc. nearly half a billion dollars for a commuter rail in central Florida, officials said Thursday. The Deland to Kissimmee route will cost about $491 million, with an additional $615 million in state, federal and local tax money needed for platforms, stations and other structures. The project is still awaiting final approval from the Florida Legislature and Federal Transit Administration.

This makes absolutely no sense and is fiscally irresponsible.

Florida is looking at a $2.5 billion budget shortfall over the next two years and the governor and legislators are going to hand over $491 million to CSX. This is corporate welfare at its worse. We are told the state doesn't have the money to complete the interstate road system without tolls yet the governor and legislators are willing to defy the electorate by pursuing the boondoggle.

It's not too late to stop this. Call the governor and legislators.

Duane L. Billington

Naples