Connie Mack Supports Rick Scott's Rejection of High-Speed Rail Funds

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, who is considering taking on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, wrote to Gov. Rick Scott on Monday supporting his fellow Republicans rejection of federal funds set aside for high-speed rail projects.

I commend you on your courageous rejection of federal funds which would have put the state of Florida in debt to the federal government, wrote Mack. As you and I have discussed, Floridians understand that the federal government is broke and it is not the right time to put the states budget in debt to the federal government by committing additional state funds to the 2.4 billion in federal dollars to establish a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando. Florida does not need its version of the Big Dig, a project pushed in Massachusetts by believers in big government which also was originally estimated at $2.6 billion and ended up costing taxpayers $14.8 billion and cost a mother of three her life due to shoddy construction.

As a Florida member of Congress, I look forward to working with your office in Tallahassee to restore fiscal stability to our state without invoking new, burdensome taxes or by hiding behind spending projects dictated by the president and Senator Bill Nelson, added Mack. Rejecting these funds is a step in the right direction, and I strongly support your decision.