LaHood: ‘Line outside my door’ for Florida high-speed rail money

Nelson and other rail backers in Florida had hoped a ridership study released by Florida transportation officials showing the train would have had a $10 million surplus in its first year of operation might change Scott’s mind. 

But at a press conference Wednesday at the Florida capitol in Tallahassee, Scott said he was still “comfortable” with his decision to reject the rail money. 

“I had been briefed on their ridership study, and I looked at other ridership studies, and I’m still very comfortable with the decision I made that I don’t want the taxpayers of the state on the hook for the cost overruns of building it, the operating costs or giving the money back if it’s shut down,” Scott said. 

Despite Scott’s resistance, LaHood told lawmakers the Department of Transportation is “just getting started on high-speed rail.” 

“We’ve had very few people turn that money down,” he said.