(The following story by Lindsay Peterson appeared on The Tampa Tribune website on November 25.)
TAMPA — U.S. Rep. John Mica said he came to Tampa today to encourage local officials to get in line for transportation money that soon will flow from Washington.
He also had a warning.
The Tampa area is years behind other cities in developing mass transit, he said. “It’s critical that Tampa Bay is also in this game. … It’s almost embarrassing to have parts of Florida without a modern transportation system.”
Mica, R-Winter Park, is minority party leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He said he didn’t mean to criticize, but his comments still put a few people on defense.
“Hillsborough County is moving forward,” Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio told Mica at the gathering at Stetson University College of Law’s Tampa Law Center. “We’re very serious” about mass transit.
She said that local transportation officials plan to ask Hillsborough County voters to approve a 1-cent sales tax in 2010 for a commuter rail system. “With local support, we will be in a greater position to make the case to the federal government” for funding.
Mica agreed and said that federal transportation money likely will be flowing in the next few years.
“We have every reason to believe there will be a stimulus package, and it will be a rather large stimulus package,” he said, noting that every $1 billion in public works spending creates about 35,000 jobs. In addition, his committee has started hearings on a new mass transit and highway bill.
He said the committee is looking at new ways to pay for transportation projects, emphasizing that the 18-cent federal gasoline tax is not enough.
Mica also used the Tampa meeting to generate support for Orlando’s commuter rail project. The state plans to spend about $500 million to buy 61 miles of tracks from CSX Transportation for the DeLand-to-Poinciana system. State officials expect another $500 million to come from the federal government and the Orlando area cities and counties, though the federal money has yet to be allocated.
The plan stalled in the state Legislature this year when lawmakers failed to approve CSX’s request for liability protection. CSX plans to continue to move freight on the 61-mile right of way, but if it causes an accident that harms a commuter train or passengers, it wants the state to take responsibility.
Mica said that is typical of arrangements other public rail agencies have made with private rail companies.
“I’ve got to have liability resolution,” he said. “The consequence is you’re on hold, and everyone is on hold.”