High-speed rail ridership study found line would have made profit - St. Petersburg Times

Despite studies that showed the high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando would make money, Governor Scott refused federal money that would have funded it. It reminds me of hearing my opponent during the last campaign say that "We don't need to do any more studies." Another corollary to this is the reluctance by the Commission, and especially the City Manager, to hire an Internal Auditor that would be answerable to the City Commission. The City Manager maintains that we don't need anyone pointing out more problems. Well, perhaps we need a check and balance over the biased and sometimes questionable approaches to financial "solutions" offered by our city administration. It also reminds me of the spirit expressed by the former Hometown Democracy movement - it would have allowed an ill-informed public to make the ultimate decision regarding land use issues - regardless of the data, analysis and facts that supported those decisions. Click title for St. Petersburg Times article.