In its weekly newsletter, the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce has a call to action! for business leaders to support… increased government spending?!
Chambers of Commerce are often stereotyped as conservative, well, business types — suits, whose policy goals are always less public services and lower taxes. What gives?
The issue at hand is commuter rail. Check out the Chamber’s talking points:
- Good for the environment: Provides the equivalent of one new lane in each direction on I-4, taking thousands of vehicles off in an environmentally-friendly way.
- Good for business: Spurs economic development by allowing business, research and education centers to tap into geographically broader talent pools.
- Improved quality of life: Transportation options, cleaner air and increased connectivity and partnership between communities benefit everyone.
Do my eyes deceive me? Those messages sound positively progressive.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but I bet that after prolonged Republican rule, most of Florida’s businesspeople are as fed up as the rest of us.
First, I have nothing against the Orlando area getting commuter rail. Heaven knows, it’s been needed for awhile.
However, the way that it’s being done is totally unacceptable, and the result will be not only significantly increased freight traffic through the center of downtown Lakeland (resulting in all the backed up traffic y’all have been hoping to avoid), but the Legislative proposal to indemnify CSX for any accidents…EVEN IF IT’S THEIR FAULT! We’ll all be paying the bill for that!
Let’s start over, and put together a plan that is fair for all sides, and that helps the issue of consumer rail throughout the I-4 Corridor
Robert, my post is about the Chamber’s support for commuter rail, and the way it frames the issue, rather than about commuter rail itself. But, I’ll bite.
I’m not sure the commuter rail deal is perfect. But I am sure it’s the best we’ll get for a long time. So, I’m willing to take it. Remember, this isn’t the first time commuter rail has been delayed for Central Florida — and our state is paying the price in sprawl, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
I’m sympathetic for Lakeland having to experience increased freight traffic. I’m sympathetic because today, it comes HERE. The tracks on which freight runs — and on which commuter rail will run — are maybe a mile from my house. It often sets me back a few minutes when I’m trying to get somewhere. But I can assure you it’s not the end of the world. And, I’m sorry to say, but doesn’t it make more sense for the freight traffic to go where there’s less people? The new freight route is much less heavily populated than the current one; that means shorter delays for the greater number of people.
On the issue of liability: again, it’s not great, but it’s not unacceptable. The liability deal for Central Florida commuter rail is the SAME as the Tri-Rail system in South Florida. It’s not special treatment in that regard. And note that if a CSX train is involved in an accident, CSX will still be liable. It’s only if a commuter rail train is involved in an accident that CSX will be indemnified. I don’t think that’s ideal — I don’t see why the courts can’t just sort out who’s responsible — but this is the option before us, and the precedent set by Tri-Rail. CSX is under no obligation to negotiate further on this aspect, and it’s already been repeatedly approved at several steps along the way (maybe not under ideal circumstances of wide public involvement, but still, it happened).
It’s taken years to line up the state, local, federal, and private support for commuter rail. If we balk, we leave millions of dollars in funding on the table — funding that may take years to secure again (if ever). And, for the sake of fighting global warming, we can’t wait.
I’m praying that commuter rail will be the first shot fired in a new mobility agenda for Florida. I really hope that this will help lay a foundation for improved and expanded public transit throughout the state, with laws and incentives to encourage transit-oriented development and livable communities instead of sprawl. If Central Florida commuter rail falls through, that sends a terrible sign about the support for that vision. We can’t let perfect be the enemy of good.