Just the other day, I wrote about the proposed Coast-to-Coast Connector in Florida, which would link several regional trails and inject some tourism dollars into the state. Money was already earmarked for the projects, too…to the tune of $50 million.
It should come as no surprise, especially to our Florida readers, that Governor Rick Scott unleashed his formidable line-item veto to kill that (and $368 million additional) funding in the state budget:
One of Scott’s largest veto items: $50 million for the state’s Coast-to-Coast connector, a bike trail stretching from St. Petersburg to Titusville. Scott said the state’s ongoing transportation budget already includes more than $57 million in statewide funding for transit greenways and bike paths, and that the connector could be completed over time.
Read the full article by visiting the Tampa Bay Times page.
I’m not entirely sure how to feel about this — I knew this veto would occur, but I wonder if the existing transit funding mentioned will actually be used to help complete the Coast-to-Coast Connector. The sticking point in Scott’s use of the phrase “could be completed over time”. “Could” certainly doesn’t mean “WILL”, and over time could mean decades…long after Florida desperately needs tourism dollars.
Any Florida peeps want to chime in?
