Laid-Off Journalist Testifies For Citizens
Before the House Economic Development Council approved the CSX deal Wednesday, the author of this blog gave testimony on behalf of citizens. Here are my remarks:
My name is Rosemary Goudreau.
I’m the former editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune, now the founder of a start-up business called ProCitizen Media and the producer of a web site called WrongTrack4Florida.com, a public education campaign dedicated to informing the citizens of Florida about the terrible terms of the CSX deal.
Even in good times, this deal would be hard to swallow. But in a financial crisis, how can you consider giving the green light to a deal that will cost more than $2.66 billion, and has no dedicated local funding source?
And despite what you’ve heard, there’s no pot of federal money set aside for this deal, either. In fact, the feds rate this proposal Medium Low, not a good place in a competitive world. And you know what happens if the federal money doesn’t come through? You guessed it. Taxpayers will be asked to pay even more.
The citizens of Florida already face enormous financial exposure were a terrible hurricane to hit. Now you suggest that citizens assume the financial risk for terrible train accidents, too. (except for the freight car and two-man crew.) You even want us to pay their punitive damages!
What happened to fiscal responsibility, to fiscal conservatism, to living within our means?
You will hear from others today about the jobs that will be created by this enormous expenditure. What you won’t hear is that this deal will relieve congestion in Central Florida. Yet you propose spending $2.66 billion for something that would take just 3,500 riders off the roads.
This deal should be redone, renegotiated by somebody who cares about protecting the public purse.
But it’s said that in the House at least, the wheels are greased. The railroad will get what the railroad wants because the future speaker comes from Orlando.
It’s a sad day in Florida when the people’s representatives are more afraid of angering their future speaker, than to answering to the citizens back home.
I urge you today to prove the forecast wrong. Do the right thing for citizens. Stand up for taxpayers. Insist that this deal be redrawn with a more conservative pen.
Thank you.
My name is Rosemary Goudreau.
I’m the former editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune, now the founder of a start-up business called ProCitizen Media and the producer of a web site called WrongTrack4Florida.com, a public education campaign dedicated to informing the citizens of Florida about the terrible terms of the CSX deal.
Even in good times, this deal would be hard to swallow. But in a financial crisis, how can you consider giving the green light to a deal that will cost more than $2.66 billion, and has no dedicated local funding source?
And despite what you’ve heard, there’s no pot of federal money set aside for this deal, either. In fact, the feds rate this proposal Medium Low, not a good place in a competitive world. And you know what happens if the federal money doesn’t come through? You guessed it. Taxpayers will be asked to pay even more.
The citizens of Florida already face enormous financial exposure were a terrible hurricane to hit. Now you suggest that citizens assume the financial risk for terrible train accidents, too. (except for the freight car and two-man crew.) You even want us to pay their punitive damages!
What happened to fiscal responsibility, to fiscal conservatism, to living within our means?
You will hear from others today about the jobs that will be created by this enormous expenditure. What you won’t hear is that this deal will relieve congestion in Central Florida. Yet you propose spending $2.66 billion for something that would take just 3,500 riders off the roads.
This deal should be redone, renegotiated by somebody who cares about protecting the public purse.
But it’s said that in the House at least, the wheels are greased. The railroad will get what the railroad wants because the future speaker comes from Orlando.
It’s a sad day in Florida when the people’s representatives are more afraid of angering their future speaker, than to answering to the citizens back home.
I urge you today to prove the forecast wrong. Do the right thing for citizens. Stand up for taxpayers. Insist that this deal be redrawn with a more conservative pen.
Thank you.
Comments
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