After Supporting SunRail, Haridopolos Backtracks With Questions for Scott

In a first step toward possibly retracting his support for SunRail, Senate President Mike Haridopolos says he needs more information on the controversial commuter train.

"The conditions of the arrangement with the federal government may be different from the understanding that was originally reached in 2009," Haridopolos wrote to Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday. A copy of the letter was obtained by Sunshine State News Friday morning.

Raising concerns about financial liability and cost-sharing, Haridopolos asked:

• Should the affected local governments fail to provide funds sufficient to meet its obligations to the project, what effect would this have on the financial obligations of the remaining [Full Funding Grant Agreement] signees?
• Would the funding necessary to complete the project become the responsibility of the state, the federal government, or both?
• Would such responsibility be shared equally?

Haridopolos, as a state senator, supported the proposed 61-mile Central Florida commuter-train project during the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions. He is currently running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

Scott spokesman Lane Wright said, "We have received the letter and the governor will be considering the questions Senator Haridopolos has raised."

Beth Dillaha, head of Veto SunRail, hailed the senator's letter.

"Many thanks to Senator Haridopolos for insisting this [financing arrangement] be made public and for bringing to light the risk to be assumed by Florida taxpayers," she said.

"The public has a right to see this agreement, as the taxpaying public has a right to know what they are paying for."

Read the Haridopolos letter here.