CSX commuter rail project falls

No deal could be reached in the Senate on the $650-million project to bring commuter rail to Orlando, killing the chance for a "no-fault" insurance deal that is necessary for the project. No commuter rail language made it into a late arriving bill creating a study of alternative routes for Interstate 95.

Supporters wanted to put the liability and immunity protections in HB 682 pushed by Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, even enlisting late help by Gov. Charlie Crist. But opponents held fast, backed by trial lawyers opposing limits on damages and private railroad company liability. Bullard had shut down the Senate over attempts to rework the bill for commuter rail.

Florida Senator Larcenia Bullard (center), D-Miami, exits the Senate "bubble," after she got angry at Florida Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie.  [Scott Keeler, Times]

Comments

A victory for florida taxpayers

This is a great great great day for taxpayers.

The good guys win this one!!!!!

Go Dockery and Ross.

[Jim]

Thanks to everyone who worked against this fatally flawed deal.

[Jim]

Thanks to everyone who worked against this fatally flawed deal.

Next time negotiate in public guys. Then there would be room for real government in the sunshine.

Paula Dockey did it---take that all of you bad mouthing middle school bullies.

the only problem is Sen Baker got the losing bidder provision passed... will the state be required to pay CSX a portion regardless?

All the John Mica threats and JD Alexander intimidation couldn't get this stinky bill though.

Yes thanks to Dockery, Ross, Alex and the other 25 senators who recognized what a bad deal this would have been for Florida.

Bullard is my new hero.

Bullard was just helping her friend General Revenue... its all good!

Right on, add Bullard and Geller to the thank you list.

Finally, some good news!!!!!!! These bums have caused so much harm this session. There needs to be a good House cleaning (and Senate cleaning too)!!!!!!

Sen. Atwater and Rep. Sansom will make great MINORITY leaders of their respective chambers!!!!!!

Remember in November!!!!

Dockery was awesome on the floor leading the team to victory.

[R Peterjen]

I thought this was a done deal and that the people of Florida were stuck with paying 650 million dollars so this private corporation could make billions of dollars. It made no sense and should have been looked at as criminal. Kudos to Senator Alex Villalobos for standing up for the people of Florida and stopping this crime. Floridians are struggling to put food on the table and gas in the tank to get to work and yet some politicians come up with this great plan to give a private corporation like CSX 650 million dollars. Thank you Alex Villalobos.

and the winner is ....Greasy Bags!

And the real loser is ... Jeb!!!!

Do not kid yourselves, the real loser here is Webster. For all of his vast years of experience and so called expertise at procedural moves, this blew up in his face - and rightfully so.

[Nuff said!]

I have hope... but...

One day we'll find out how Jeb was supposed to get P A I D for this deal.

[Don Mott]

Yea!!! I have been writng everywhere and to anyone who would listen about this bill. Thankfully there are 'some' smart people in Tallahassee who could see beyond the smoke and mirrors.

[j]

7:09 Floridian taxpayers thank you and everyone else who wrote to everyone who would listen. It was a great grass roots effort!

It's called Karma...those who seek to screw get screwed.

someone please hand the gavel to President Dockery

Dear Leadership,

Did it hurt or did you enjoy the spanking?

Gov Crist was on the floor of the Senate trying to save the CSX deal, Mica was calling and threating Senators, Webster and JD were deleting member projects but Dockery and the team of 26 other Senators were not frightened and won the day for the taxpayers of our wonderful state. Thanks to all. And who was that Orlando Sentinel columnist who said our Senator (Webster) will beat your Senator(Dockery) hands down?

The truth is, Villalobos was brilliant. His point of order was great. Pruitt tried to slip the HB in yesterday when he thought no one would notice but Villalobos called it. He stopped that from happenning. He noted that they would need a 2/3 vote to do it. Dockery worked the floor but that was not enough to do it. They would have bought off a few opponents. That is why they attempted to take up the HB. The 2/3 vote they needed did them in. Great move.

They will still go ahead with the CSX deal. It will get funding and it will eventually get the liability relief. Guaranteed.

Of course they'll proceed with CSX - too many members are going to benefit ($$$) from this deal!

Not a done deal huh JD?

Democracy triumphed today. Finally.

damn! JD will have to swim in a smaller pool of cash...don't worry..one day your highway, er, ship, will come in

Go Paula! I agree with the post above......Pass the gavel to Dockery!

11:00 Thats very funny.

[Dee Dee]

Now all Polk County has to worry about is CSX possibly moving their rail hub to Winter Haven. Orlando still wants to get rid of the traffic jams and deisel fumes the trains and semi trucks cause to their beautiful city. The fight lives on!
Congrats to all who stood up in the face of tyrrany these past few weeks. They can threaten you, but standing together, you are truly strong.

[G Outback]

Bravo Alex Villalobos. Jeb must be seething mad. This was his $650 million dollar crooked deal.That deal was dirty dirty dirty. Guess he's wishing he had put 50 million trying to push out Villalobos instead of the meager 8 million he put into that puppet candidate Bolanos (or Arza) or whatever his name was.

9:17 Pass the gavel to Alex. He out smarted the big boys. They saying is, the power goes to the one who knows the rules and knows how to use them.

5:53 Sen. Atwater will not be there to be the minority leader.

Good!!!!

11:53 - It's not really that funny. This woman, initially single handedly, was up against some of the most powerful central florida legislators, CSX - a very powerful multi billion dollar company, the governor, and leadership in both the house and senate, and was still able to divert our taxpayer dollars from going to a non essential expenditure......if Dockery can do that on her own, then I say, she can run the Florida Senate!

11:23 If Dockery really thinks she did this single handedly then that is indicative of why she has not been able to get the votes she needs to be in the running for the Presidency.

[terminator]

G Outback:
good post.
Jeb is sucking our wad today!
We will politically finish him and Levesque by November.

[Don Mott]

Yep, good ol Jeb was behind this from the start. Wonder if CSX still has an opening for him on their Board Of Directors now? One other interesting thing I've mentioned before. When I e-mailed Crist's office regarding this bill his staff didn't have the nerve or decency to reply. I got a reply from a FDOT mouthpiece. Way to go Charley! Thanks for your concern about taxpayers!

Dockery got this done, others were helpful once she got it rolling and brought it in for a landing.

1:59 So over confident. That will not help Dockery get anywhere. She may not even win her election.
Bennett has more support then Dockery does.

2:44 Dockery did lots of work on this issue. She informed many of the media and colleagues. She got the ball rolling and those that also opposed the CSX issue were very helpful. Villalobos helped Dockery in the end when the chips were down and the leadership was going to muscle that bill through. He stopped that forward movement dead. So they all did a great job.

[There Is More to Do]

Even with the people's governor Charlie Crist twisting arms to support CSX, Polk Commissioner Jack Myers, calling state Senators to say the Polk County Commission supported the bill(it did not), U.S. Representative Mica issuing a threatening letter, the decent people in the Florida legislature held fast and stopped a financial disaster from happening.

I am glad Webster's career is over. He needs to spend his time in the air conditioning shop, not making public policy.

I hear Webster will now be employed with CSX? Any truth to that rumor?

CSX only hires winners.

The good ol' boys need to stop crying and just accept that they don't always win.....go back to your heartland and wait for your precious toll road to come through!

Dockery can take credit for this; Bennett has lots else to claim credit for. Either way, one of them should be Senate president, and not the ideologue who keeps saying he's got the votes, to scare people into giving him money. He can't even get a real job and he wants to be Senate president?

[j]

CSX and FDOT got a lesson in what public participation in government is all about.
It has restored my faith in our process.
Now, can we get that Federal money to start planning for some REAL mass transportation needs in Central Florida?