Governor's Press Office Press Release:

Statements from Governor Charlie Crist, Senate President Jeff Atwater, and House Speaker Larry Cretul Regarding the Upcoming Special Session on Rail Transit for Florida.

Tuesday morning, Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Larry Cretul informed their members that a Special Session to create a comprehensive rail transit policy for Florida would begin on Thursday, December 3, 2009.

Statement by Governor Charlie Crist

“Working alongside the House and the Senate, we are continuing to develop the basic building blocks of Florida’s transportation future. Florida’s economy and our people need the boost that commuter rail can bring to our state. Creating more transportation alternatives means more jobs and more opportunities for economic development that can generate millions of dollars in revenue.”

Statement by Senate President Jeff Atwater

“Creating opportunities to bring employers and employees closer, to move goods and services more efficiently, and to capitalize upon existing transit corridors, is a fundamental component of a robust state economy. The people of Florida are hurting; many are experiencing the pain of unemployment. A statewide rail transit policy not only invests in Florida’s future and lays the foundation for long-term economic development, it will also bring much-needed jobs at a time when almost a million Floridians are unemployed and looking for ways to meet their financial obligations. The time has come to recognize that we must complement our existing road systems with rail alternatives, as we seek to renew our urban industrial centers and build a stronger future for Florida.”

Statement by House Speaker Larry Cretul

“Florida’s transportation future is tied to the state’s prosperity. For that reason, we approached this special session very methodically, recognizing that we share the goal of doing the legislation right and doing it responsibly. The proposal we will consider avoids new taxes at a time when Floridians can’t afford to pay them, and still offers effective, creative solutions to move us into a 21st century marked by innovation and efficiency for commuting and travel.”

THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE JOINT PROCLAMATION

TO THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA SENATE AND THE FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

We, Jeff Atwater, President of the Florida Senate, and Larry Cretul, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, by virtue of the authority vested in us by Article III, Section 3(c), Florida Constitution, and Section 11.011, Florida Statutes, do hereby proclaim:

Section 1.
That the Legislature of the State of Florida is convened in Special Session at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, the 3rd day of December, 2009, and ending at noon on Friday, the 11th day of December, 2009.

Section 2.
That the Legislature of the State of Florida is convened for the sole and exclusive purpose of considering legislation:

(a)
Relating to the Florida Department of Transportation’s authority to acquire, own, construct, operate, market, promote, maintain, and manage existing and new passenger rail corridors;

(b)
Creating the Florida Rail Enterprise within the Florida Department of Transportation to oversee and manage the development and operations of state-owned passenger rail systems;

(c)
Creating the Statewide Passenger Rail Commission within the Florida Department of Transportation to monitor the efficiency, productivity, and management of all publicly-funded passenger rail systems and to advise the Department and the Legislature on policies and strategies relating to state-owned passenger rail systems;

(d)
Addressing the allocation and assumption of risks associated with state-owned passenger rail corridors;

(e)
Authorizing the Florida Department of Transportation to purchase insurance and establish a self-retention fund to insure against liability risks associated with state-owned passenger rail corridors;

(f)
Providing for the allocation of increased revenues to the State Transportation Trust Fund, based on the Revenue Estimating Conference’s revised forecast dated November 2009, to fund existing passenger rail operations;

(g)
Addressing allocation of a portion of documentary stamp tax proceeds provided to the Transportation Regional Incentive Program pursuant to s. 201.15(1)(c)1.d., F.S., to fund the capital costs of future passenger rail systems and associated impacts; and

(h)
Reallocating documentary stamp tax proceeds provided pursuant to s. 201.15(1)(c)1., F.S., to fund the Small County Outreach Program.
Section 3.

That committees or councils of either house of the Legislature are authorized to consider legislation within the purview of this proclamation from this date forward.
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It's been five days since legislative leaders announced a special session was imminent. We expected official confirmation Monday.
We haven't gotten it.

But, around four o-clock the senate president told his members to make travel arrangements for a 9 AM session on Thursday.
Governor Charlie Crist worked the phones all afternoon, trying to get legislative leaders on board.

If it passes, he says Florida could be in better shape to land a two-and-a-half billion dollar federal grant for *high-speed rail*.
That stimulus money could be used to build a line between Tampa and Orlando. And, time is critical - Washington's on track to award the grant sometime this winter.

But, Sunrail's critics are attacking the project's insurance policy.
They say -- it could put taxpayers on the hook, even if the railroad company CSX happened to cause an accident. And today, we heard from Florida's top union official. He complains, the project could cost many railroad workers their jobs.

"Are you asking me, 'Do I want jobs'? You bet I want jobs. Are you asking me, 'Do I want the type of jobs that's going to cause a man and a woman to struggle week-to-week to put food on the table'? The answer is no," says Mike Williams, Florida AFL-CIO President.

The AFL-CIO calls the plan on the table now 'government-backed union busting'. That argument could resonate with democratic lawmakers.
Many of them have agreed to vote 'yes' on the project.
But now, they may be having second thoughts.

Sunrail supporters are firing back at their critics. They say the project would create more than hundred thousand jobs. Not to mention a four-and-a-half billion dollar boost to Florida's construction industry.