Downtown Tampa will have its high-speed rail station sometime between 2015 and never. But on Monday at high noon it had high-decibel, albeit civil, railing about the prospects. A last-minute rally for frustrated, high-speed rail proponents was countered by demonstrators, including Tea Partiers and No Tax for Tracksters, who support Gov. Rick Scott for his recent rejection of $2.4 billion in previously proffered federal funds. It was Tampa’s own vent city–replete with chants of “We want rail” and “Why not here, why not now?”
In reality, this was more of a play within a play. One that is ultimately being scripted by Scott who seems pre-determined to stick with his pro-Tea Party, anti-Obama-screed-in-the-guise-of-fiscal prudence. Scott, the 800-pound gorilla in the roadbed, seems adamant that no scenario–from a regional, umbrella-group sub-grantee to the eight private-sector bids due next month–will change his mind about Florida taxpayers being “on the hook” for unforeseen costs. Even U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a key behind-the-scenes player, acknowledged that all the expeditious, legal scrambling could only be successful “if the governor co-operates.” The state, for example, would still have to grant any newly-cobbled, independent agency the right-of-way along the Tampa-Orlando route.
Sobering. But even a stopped watch is right twice a day. Hope lives, even if on a political ventilator. Recession-addressing jobs, an I-4 alternative and 21st century competitiveness still make a compelling case.
The scene: outside City Hall at Kennedy Boulevard and Franklin Street. On one side of Kennedy were those lionizing Scott for jettisoning high-speed rail. Maybe 100 in number. Their signs ranged from the ideologically routine– “Stop the Spending” and “We Can’t Afford It”–to the ideologically bizarre–“Marxists Push Train Transit, But We Don’t Buy The Lies” (more on that later). Even a guy dressed as the Grim Reaper toting a “Death To High-Speed Rail” sign (more on him later too).
Across from the “We Stand With Gov. Scott” crowd were gathered the pro-rail advocates. Perhaps 200–ranging from Congresswoman Castor to mayoral candidates Ed Turanchik and Tom Scott. Here a Mary Mulhern and Yoli Capin, there a Kelly Benjamin and Julie Jenkins. Plus a couple of bullhorns and plenty of signs–ranging from the economically themed to pure outrage. From “Rail = Jobs,” “Don’t Derail Florida’s Future” and “‘Get To Work’ Creating Jobs, Not Killing Jobs” to “Lose Scott, Keep The Train,” “Untrained Governor Equals 20,000 Fewer Jobs” and “Rick Scott is a Tea-Bagging Idiot.” And for good measure, “NY and Calif. Win, Floriduh Loses.”
Yeah, “Floriduh” is back. And New York and California are ready to pounce on “found money.”
Among those taking turns with the bullhorn was Turanchik. With City Hall as a backdrop and flanked by enthusiastic true believers united for a visionary cause, he couldn’t have ordered up a better video -or -photo op. “This is about 20,000 jobs for people who don’t have jobs,” he bellowed to cheers and jeers.
Farah Stokes, 57, was among the converted being preached to. She carried a “Yes: Rail, No: Scott” sign. The South Tampa resident said part of it was “getting traffic off of I-4. It’s endless. And we lose the potential for convincing businesses and jobs to move here.”
For Laraine Hancock, 64, a retired pharmaceutical executive who lives in South Tampa, it’s about trust as well as economics. “I think the governor had his mind made up before he took office, she said. “He never waited for the bids. Now our ability to add jobs in the short term and redevelopment along the (I-4) corridor is undermined.”
Then there was Michael Capria, 58, a chiropractor from Carrollwood. He had the aforementioned Marxist taunt, one designed to attract media attention. Obviously it worked.
“The density just isn’t there for this train,” he explained. “So you have to change the zoning (to residential) to make rail work. Which is what East Germany did in Berlin. The socialist model is to force people to live in high-density environments.”
Under that Grim Reaper costume was David Brown, 73, of Sun City Center. He actually crossed Kennedy to get closer to the bullhorned speakers. “They already have a train; it’s called Amtrak,” noted Brown. “And I’m just afraid that if this were to pass, when you look ahead, who will be stuck paying the costs 10-15 years from now?”
The final word goes to someone who was there in spirit–and in symbol: City Hall. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio is still playing an active, save-high-speed-rail role and participated in a conference call with elected officials–including her mayoral counterparts in Orlando and Lakeland–and media earlier in the day. But her words in response to Scott’s initial rejection of high-speed rail funds still echo.
“This project was about 21st century investments,” underscored Iorio. “How do we get around the state of Florida in the coming decades? … This would have produced an alternative method of transportation that linked all of our major metropolitan areas–Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville. The alternative is the status quo, which really means that our state goes backwards. This is unacceptable.”
As unacceptable as ideology-driven arrogance. As unacceptable as cherry-picked, skewed data. As unacceptable as “‘Floriduh,’ the Sequel.” As unacceptable as a high-speed railroading of this city’s, this region’s and this state’s future.
And a final thought. Given his seemingly irreconcilable cost-overrun and liability fears, maybe Scott just doesn’t trust the private sector. Wonder why?