December 5th, 2009
As the Florida Legislature debates the future of Florida’s high speed rail development, often referred to as SunRail, one has to wonder why Rep. Corrine Brown is assuring the State of Florida that funding from the Federal government will be available. I have to ask, is this going to be another Amtrak in the making? or another Florida rail system, Tri-Rail in south Florida, currently being subsidized by taxpayers?
Last year, 2008, Amtrak routes running in Florida lost over $145 per passenger for the Silver Star, and the Auto Train, $69 per passenger. Both of these trains combined routes serve the Tampa-Orlando and the Orlando/Sanford-Miami corridors, yet both have constantly lost money. Ridership is at a near all-time low and dropping monthly.
Tri-Rail, the South Florida commuter rail service, is in need today of between $13 and $15 MILLION in subsidies just to keep running. Their ridership currently is around 13,000 per day and even at that level of ridership, has lost money since it’s inception. The Sunrail project is going to be another annual commitment for Florida taxpayers to fund.
What is at issue is the $2.6 billion in Federal Stimulus funding of the Sun Rail project for the Tampa to Orlando route for initial construction. In 2004, once Florida voters understood the real costs of building a high speed rail system, it was flatly rejected. With the Obama administration once again providing the funding with the Stimulus Bill, it seems that everyone is clamoring once again for another slice of that taxpayer funded pie. Again, no one seems to be asking the tough questions about the continual need to subsidize these rail services once built and operational. Because these systems are running on tracks currently owned by private railways, the funding is also going to subsidize their freight services with special tax considerations for those subsidies. CSX stands to gain millions in property acquisition and roadbed leasing costs alone.
It is these types of projects that are proving to do nothing but continue to add to the Federal Deficits each and every year and subsequently add to the already $12 Trillion in debt that is continually rising. It is a burden on taxpayers that will continue in perpetuity unless it is ended once and for all. Keep the profitable routes and end the rest. No amount of funding is going to change the fact that an Amtrak trip from Jacksonville to Washington, D.C. is going to take 14 hours and cost upwards of $120 one way. The drive by automobile is less time and for far less money and a 4 hour airline flight isn’t going to cost that much more either.
No doubt, these projects are going to be infused with further Federal funding through additional earmarks from Rep. Corrine Brown. Her latest press release already indicates her desire to fund this losing proposition and no doubt through the earmark process for future budget items brought before Congress.
Mike believes it is time to stop this fiscal irresponsibility and call an end to Federal funding of the abject failure in the high speed rail model. The private railroads ended passenger service in the late 1950′s for a reason- they could no longer continue to break even or generate a single cent of profit on an annual basis. No amount of nostalgic appeal, “wishing” for a successful venture in rail transportation, or “built it and they will ride” mentality is going to change the facts- the taxpayers must subsidize these ventures just to keep them running.
You can help Mike bring about an end to this type of government waste and fiscal irresponsibility. Volunteer, tell others, and donate to his campaign today.
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Tags: 5 Responses to “Central Florida High Speed Rail- Another Amtrak?”
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Certainly seems that Mr. Yost has been plodding through all the horse manure being spread around by the Cato Institute and then trying to feed it to all of us.
Sadly, there is no offer to rebuttal the facts presented, only innuendo and references to fecal waste. Those numbers are directly from the U.S. Department of Transportation and unless you have something different to refute them, your comment is taken as written- with no foundation in truth or fact. However, Jack, I approved your comment simply because of one reason- I don’t agree with your premise nor your comment, but I can assure you that I WILL defend with my very life your right to have one and to express it as you see fit.
Even though your argument is still flawed, there are other benefits to passenger rail not enjoyed by highway use and airline use. Why do you republicans only see things in terms of dollars, preservation of the status quo and not other intrinsic issues which make life worth living? And, as is typical, conservatives “conserve” nothing.
This is such a tired, flawed arguement. Why do you expect Amtrak to operate without subsidies when you don’t expect the same for the highways and airlines (which we wouldn’t have, by the way, without HUGE subsidies.)
Highway transportation “subsidies” are paid for directly from the Federal Highway Transportation Fund, which is DIRECTLY FUNDED by taxes on fuel, tires, and excise taxes on large trucks. Expenditures ONLY increased in 2010 because of “Stimulus” funding that increased the amount available.
Airline subsidies are ALSO funded by direct taxes on users through ticket taxes, freight, and fuel taxes. Both of the Highway and Airline subsidies come from TRUST FUNDS from direct taxes paid by those users. The upgrading and building of smaller, underserved areas for air transportation has come from the Trust Fund.
Rail subsidies come from 2 sources- Direct funding for Amtrak from the General Revenues. Other rail subsidies to private transporters come in the form of tax treatment of upgrades, improvements, and construction of new or existing railbeds and crossings. There are also several loan programs for upgrades to rail. There are NO trust funds or any contributions by passengers to these modalities of transportation- rail is ONLY directly funded by taxpayers from the Treasury as appropriated by Congress.
The facts are simple- 70% of all freight travels by truck across our highway transportation system. Most personal travel under 225 miles is by automobile. Travel time is a huge consideration of passengers with Air being the fastest, automobile next, surface bus and train almost tied in longest time. On some Amtrak routes, the cost of an airline ticket is equivalent to the amount of taxpayer subsidy per passenger. (LA to New Orleans route) Total ridership of all rail only amounts to roughly 1-1.5% of all transportation modes in the United States.
A study back in 2001 indicated that the average cost per passenger for the I-4 high speed rail proposed would be close to $4600. It would be possible to lease a small/midsize car every 3 years per rider, with a 10 year projection of $174,000 per passenger to construct and maintain the SunRail project. These costs have dramatically increased due to property acquisition costs of $167 million of property valued at a little over $6 million. Construction costs have increased as well over initial estimates and the acquisition of rolling stock and locomotion are enormous. At risk is the $1.2 billion in government grants from the stimulus bill that are a one time funding. After that, it’s up to taxpayers to keep it going with continually increasing subsidies. The cost to taxpayers currently for the South Florida rail is $12-15 MILLION per year.
Either you force people to use rail through restrictions of liberty in order to gain ridership, or you triple or quadruple the fairs to cover real costs of rail transportation. Thomas Jefferson warned that it is far better to err on the side of too much liberty than too little. You, or no one else I know is going to allow government to dictate HOW you are going to get from point A to point B. The only question is, are we going to continue to fund these revenue negative debacles? Unlike the movie “Field of Dreams”, if you build it they will come isn’t proving true with passenger rail.