[Puffer Fish]

A decade ago, in 2011, the newly inaugurated Florida Governor Rick Scott (now a US Republican senator) made a decision that seemed to many to be unthinkable: He stood on his principles of fiscal prudence and turned down $2.5 billion in federal money for a high-speed rail line that, if completed, would have connected Orlando and Tampa. At the time, Scott cited his concern with cost overruns for which Florida would be responsible, the wisdom of federal deficit spending, and the projections of ridership.

Nearly all Democrats in the state, and even some Republicans, blasted the choice. More than one Republican member of Congress called his decision wrong and short-sighted.

How did that story end? Well, California took the money, which resulted in disaster. Ten years and tens of billions of dollars later there is no bullet train - just lots of wasted money, wasted time and wasted energy - proving once again that if you want to guarantee the ruin of a potentially good idea, make it a federal government project.

At that time no one really knew for sure exactly what Rick Scott's political philosophy really was, since he was a relative political newcomer. Scott looked at the totality of the decision before him and made a call based on his gut read and his principles. He ignored those who told him he was crazy to turn down "free money" and made what was, in retrospect, the right choice.

That decision may have helped contribute to turning Florida into an economic powerhouse. Since 2011, Florida's population has grown by 2.6 million (an increase of 14 percent), while California's population grew by 1.7 million (an increase of 4 percent).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... d=msedgntp

[Puffer Fish]

Update: So far it is estimated that the high speed rail line project has cost a total of as high as $113 billion.

California voters had originally approved a bond issue in 2008 for the high-speed rail project, which at the time was estimated to cost $33 billion, and was expected to be completed by 2020.

The state originally contracted with SNCF, the French national railroad, to help build the train, but the company ceased work on the project in frustration, telling the state that they were leaving to work on another project in North Africa, saying that would be "less politically dysfunctional" than California.

The state's Democratic leaders, who have led support for the project, have expressed doubts regarding its success, despite previous investments from the Obama and Biden administrations.
"There is nothing but problems on the project," Speaker of the State Assembly Anthony Rendon recently stated.
Governor Gavin Newsom has reportedly hesitated to commit to additional state financing. As of now, there is no identified source of funding for the project.
(Both are members of the Democrat party)

(source: Rail company left 'dysfunctional' California amid faltering 'bullet train' efforts, Heather Hamilton, National Examiner, October 2022)