TALLAHASSEE - Florida lawmakers said Thursday that the state's $491 million agreement with CSX Transportation is not a done deal and that lawmakers will debate it when they begin meeting next month before the 2008 legislative session.
The state only has set aside money for the commuter rail and freight expansion project. "We haven't put anything out yet," said state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, at a meeting of his Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Committee.
He said that Tampa area lawmakers will get their chance to publicly air their questions and complaints about the deal, which many say was planned in secret, without the involvement of the people who will be most negatively affected by extra train and truck traffic.
This month, the state signed an agreement with CSX railroad to spend $491 million to buy 61 miles of track in the Orlando area for commuter rail and to help the company expand its freight operations to a massive hub in Polk County.
The plan essentially would take CSX's cargo trains off the rail line running through Orlando and dump them on a single freight superhighway that would run through the heart of downtown Lakeland.
Under Fasano's questioning, state Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos confirmed that the CSX agreement depends on the state giving its final approval for the expenditure.
She warned that failure to give that approval would lead to the loss of about $250 million from the federal government to build the commuter system.
State Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, head of the House Infrastructure Committee, also said he had questions about the deal. "I'm particularly concerned about its effect on the cities, Plant City and Lakeland, with all the extra trains. We need to talk about mitigation."
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