Did "petty politics" kill Florida HSR?

Written By Ross Capon

The Atlantic Cities has an interesting discussion of how and why Florida Gov. Rick Scott killed the state’s high speed rail project. It is based on a Tampa Tribune report about communications between Scott and Republican State Senator Paula Dockery. There is evidence that the decision was driven by “petty politics” rather than “fiscal prudence.”

Here is a key sentence: “What’s most upsetting about the Tribune report – though in a way also a little encouraging – is that it shows the death of Obama’s high-speed rail plan was not inevitable. Many Republicans involved in the story clearly favored the idea…”

The piece ends by suggesting that “Scott’s decision to halt high-speed rail may soon bring his own time in office to an end.” His predecessor Charlie Crist, now a Democrat, is leading in the polls.

Rendering of a would-have-been Florida High-Speed Rail station.