VERO BEACH — The All-Aboard Florida passenger rail concept scheduled to whisk tourists between Orlando and Miami at 110 mph racked up its latest opponent Tuesday when the Vero Beach City Council directed staff to bring back a resolution decrying the project’s application for $1.5 billion in federal loans.
In the months that the project has been discussed among City officials and a volunteer High-Speed Rail Advisory Committee, All-Aboard Florida has been touted as a totally private endeavor, so private that its financials are not open to public scrutiny.
Vero’s High-Speed Rail Commission members found this out when they requested to see the financials, or at least some sort of business plan of how All-Aboard Florida and its parent company, Florida East Coast Industries planned to make a go of passenger rail between four Florida cities without the aid of federal subsidies such as Amtrak enjoys.
“I think it’s time for us to derail All Aboard Florida,” Councilwoman Pilar Turner said.
Turner was concerned about a letter penned by Mayor Dick Winger and Rail Commission Chair Ken Daige expressing support for the project in the first sentence and listing concerns farther down in the letter. But more than that, she said she was worried about taxpayer dollars being sunk into the project.
The discussion came in the wake of an announcement by Gov. Rick Scott pledging state dollars to build one of the train stations.
“We do not support any federal or state funding,” Turner said.
Vice Mayor Jay Kramer agreed with Turner’s stance on the government funding of the project. So did Councilman Craig Fletcher.
“What you’ve seen so far in the applications for federal funds is only the tip of the iceberg,” Fletcher said.
Winger emphasized that, with no stop in Vero Beach and only potential expenses and liabilities in the way of safety, disrupted traffic patterns and the aesthetics of more trains coming through town, All-Aboard Florida offers no economic or tourism benefits to Vero or to its residents.
“Public funding of this thing doesn’t make any sense,” Winger said. “The reality of this to have the public to in any way to fund this is problematic.”
Councilwoman Amelia Graves said she had a problem with telling a private company what it could or could not do, but she ultimately joined in the consensus that the project should not receive taxpayer dollars.
Legal staff is set to bring a resolution back to the council at the April 15 meeting opposing All-Aboard Florida’s quest for public funding or loans.
The rail project was also a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s Indian River Board of County Commission meeting, as commissioners heard of an environmental impact study that was now required since All-Aboard Florida is applying for federal loans.
County leaders directed staff to request an additional 45 days to review the study, or more time, if possible. Commissioner Bob Solari echoed many of the concerns that have come up numerous times at city meetings about All-Aboard Florida.
Various local communities, nonprofits and others affected have formed a coalition on the rail project and Councilwoman Andrea Coy was appointed from Sebastian to represent the city. Graves, who brought the group during her matters, was viewed as volunteering to represent Vero, so she was appointed as city liaison to the group.
Staff writer Lisa Barry contributed to this report.
