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Crist Vetoes Bill On Turnpike Vendors

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The Associated Press

Published: June 17, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist's veto Monday of a key transportation bill escalated the feud with fellow Republican Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, the departing House speaker.

Crist vetoed a measure that included language from Rubio that would allow multiple vendors to bid on food, fuel and maintenance contracts for the eight service plazas along the Florida Turnpike.

"Today's veto will result in a government contract being awarded to benefit a single vendor," Rubio said, adding that it "squeezes out all other potential bidders, and guarantees that we will not have an open, competitive, and transparent procurement process."

One of those potential bidders is longtime Rubio friend and political supporter Max Alvarez, a Miami fuel distributor who lost a bid for the fuel contract in 1994.

However, Crist agreed with the Florida Turnpike Enterprise that consolidating the gas and food concessions in a 30-year deal would provide sufficient profit potential to attract a large single vendor.

"It is disappointing that this legislation has directed a procurement, which benefits vendors over the citizens of Florida," said Crist, who has had well-publicized policy differences with Rubio on issues including expansion of gambling and using trust fund dollars to pay the state's bills.

One company, HMSHost Corp., has the food service contract, while Florida-based Martin Petroleum, has the gasoline business. The contracts expire at the end of this year.
Turnpike officials believe combining the services with one vendor is needed to lure major bidders who run similar operations in other states and could afford to put as much as $200 million into upgrading the plazas.

The vetoed legislation also included a 5 percent pay increase for Florida Highway Patrol troopers, who will still receive the pay boost, albeit from the budget of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

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