(The following story by Dan Tracy appeared on the Orlando Sentinel website on April 21, 2009.)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The proposed SunRail commuter train rolled out of a Senate hearing Monday — barely — but its next stop remains uncertain.
The $1.2 billion project may need to go before another committee, or it could end up on the Senate floor for a vote that would determine its fate. With nine days left before the session’s scheduled adjournment May 1, supporters want to go to the floor soon, though it is not certain they have the 21 votes necessary to win in the 40-member chamber.
The would-be train eked out a 4-3 vote in the Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Committee, but the swing vote — cast by Sen. Chris Smith, D- Fort Lauderdale — was less than enthusiastic.
“This is still a very ugly bill, a bill that needs a lot of work. … But I don’t think it needs to be killed dead,” Smith said.
Smith’s vote came only after sponsors allowed him to attach a local-option rental-car surcharge, a $2-a-day levy that would require approval by a county commission supermajority and a county’s voters in a referendum. South Florida legislators are hoping the tax could raise as much as $40 million to support their Tri-Rail commuter system.
Smith and other South Florida Democrats oppose requiring a referendum. But Gov. Charlie Crist and anti-tax Republicans have made clear that’s the only way they’ll support it — and they could still turn against it on the Senate floor.
SunRail also faces stiff opposition from Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, who has assembled a coalition of unions, Democrats and anti-tax Republicans. She was responsible for scuttling SunRail in last year’s Legislature.
“I don’t even know why this is a close call,” Dockery complained after Monday’s vote went against her.
Dockery contends the entire deal — which would pay CSX $650 million for rail improvements and a new freight yard and buy an umbrella $200 million policy to pay victims of accidents caused by either a freight or a commuter train — is a “giveaway” to the giant railroad company. She also fears that extra freight traffic could be rerouted to Lakeland because of SunRail.
Adding to SunRail’s woes was a decision by the House in the budget it passed last week to sweep $400 million from state Department of Transportation trust funds to help balance the 2009-10 budget. If that decision holds up, SunRail and numerous road projects across the state would be delayed for years, DOT officials said.
‘A real concern’
“That’s got the potential to be a problem. It’s a real concern,” Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said of the House budget move. Gardiner voted for SunRail in Monday’s two-hour committee session.
Sen. Lee Constantine, R- Altamonte Springs, the sponsor of the SunRail bill (SB 1212), thinks the money will be returned to DOT when the two chambers get together to work out differences in their respective budgets.
“That’s not going to be tolerated in the Senate,” he said. “Once they [the House] realize what could potentially occur, maybe they’ll find other ways to balance their budget.”
Constantine’s more immediate worry is lining up votes in the Senate for SunRail, which would run 61.5 miles from DeLand in Volusia County through downtown Orlando to Poinciana in Osceola County. With legislative approval, the first half of the corridor could be operating by 2011.
Monday’s session, held in one of the largest meeting rooms in the Capitol complex, was a continuation of a hearing last week that ended without a vote because the committee ran out of time.
Dyer, Crotty attend
Chairman Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, scheduled the session because he said he wanted the 73 people who had signed up to speak to be able to offer their opinions about the train. On Monday, 78 people showed up to talk, though most waived their comments or offered short statements of support or opposition.
In all, 53 said they supported SunRail. Many represented Central Florida governments, such as Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, and area businesses, such as Universal Orlando and Darden restaurants.
Twenty-five spoke against SunRail. Opponents included union officials and people who dislike paying taxes. The unions fear that SunRail, which would be operated by a private contractor, will not hire union workers.