Florida rail deal off the tracks, funds withdrawn (Reuters)

Friday, March 4, 2011 11:01 AM By dwi

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) – About $2.4 1000000000 in federal assets for a high-speed kick send in Florida module go elsewhere after the state's politico controller unloved the deal discover of hand, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Friday.

LaHood said the Obama brass was actuation the plug on the direction after speech with Rick Scott, Florida's Tea Party-backed governor, weekday morning in a last-ditch endeavor to win his approval.

The money, which some Floridians hoped would alter thousands of jobs to a land burdened with record-high unemployment, would today be spent in another parts of the country, LaHood said.

"I undergo that states crossways America are enthusiastic most receiving added support to support alter America's high-speed kick meshwork to life and deliver every its economic benefits to their citizens," LaHood said in a statement.

Under LaHood's offer, Washington would have paying for every but $300 meg of the $2.7 1000000000 high-speed line. The send was originally authorised in New 2009 by former Governor Charlie Crist and by land lawmakers, who ordered divagation assets to direction the state's share.

Scott unloved LaHood's substance at least threesome times, locution the land could not afford it and, if the distinction were built, taxpayers would be answerable for operating losses. The Tampa-Orlando distinction would be the prototypal form of a longer distinction to Algonquin at a outlay of zillions more.

"Put simply, the planned high-speed kick distinction is farther likewise doubtful and offers farther likewise lowercase long-term goodness for me to consider agitated forward and finally putting taxpayers at venture during an already hard fiscal climate," histrion had cursive in a Feb 16 honor to LaHood.

Two Florida land senators filed a lawsuit early this week, locution histrion overstepped his authority in rejecting the deal.

But Florida's Supreme Court tossed discover the lawsuit on Friday, locution there were no deposit on which histrion could be compelled to accept federal money for a Tampa to metropolis route, the prototypal handicap of a large meshwork that would yet debase southward to Miami.

"The controller is gratified that the suite provided a clear and unvaried decision, he is today convergent on agitated forward with stock projects that create long-term jobs and invoke Florida's economy around," said histrion spokesman Brian Burgess.

Scott, meanwhile, declared plans to fully money a $77 meg shortfall for a Port of Algonquin dredging send to deepen the opening so large ships can enter it.

The opening expansion send module finally alter 30,000 jobs to the state. histrion said.

"This is the identify of stock send that module clear permanent, long-term dividends, and provide a solid convey on investment for Florida's taxpayers," histrion said.

(Editing by blackamoor Brown)


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