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April 15, 2009
Myths and facts about SunRail

Some major points of contention on SunRail

By Dan Tracy and Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel Staff Writers

CLAIM: Opponents say the $308 million the federal government is supposed to provide isn't guaranteed.
FACT: There is no federal guarantee for SunRail. But U.S. Rep. John Mica, R- Winter Park, said the only thing standing between SunRail and the federal money is state approval.

"I just need 21 votes in the Senate," Mica said. He and U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, who chairs the House transportation subcommittee, both promise to obtain the money quickly.

Mica said the money will come in two allotments: $178 million to pay for SunRail's first phase, between DeBary in Volusia County and Sand Lake Road in south Orange County, to open in 2011.

CLAIM: Foes say if the federal money doesn't come, local governments will have to make it up.
FACT: Constantine has inserted language into the bill (SB 1212) saying no state or local money can be spent until the federal funds arrive.

CLAIM: Some foes, such as Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, say this money could be spent on schools.
FACT: That can't happen. All the money — which comes from gasoline taxes and other dedicated sources — can be spent only on transportation. Most of it won't even be collected for a few years; it's simply being allocated now.

For example, DOT officials said the $432 million payment to CSX to buy the SunRail tracks, improve other CSX tracks and move a rail yard to Winter Haven will come from basically two sources: $173 million in bonds that are not yet sold, and $259 million from gas and real-estate taxes that will be collected through 2016.

In a two-page finance sheet, DOT says it has only about $34 million in its current budget for the project. DOT will also spend $173 million (down from $214 million) to build bridges over five rail overpasses; two are done, and two are under construction. DOT says it would have to build these projects with or without the CSX deal. All are funded out of the agency's tax collections.

"I don't have that in cash yet," DOT Assistant Secretary Kevin Thibault said.

CLAIM: Supporters say the money being paid to CSX has been allocated to Central Florida's transportation district and can't be diverted to road projects elsewhere.

"Most of it is coming from District 5," Constantine told Senate Democrats on Tuesday.
FACT: Only a sliver of the funding — just $51 million of the $432 million being paid to CSX Corp. — is coming from District 5 dollars. An additional $380 million is from what the department calls its "strategic intermodal system" funding, comprising fuel taxes and documentary-stamp-tax revenues from real-estate sales. Those dollars could go anywhere in the state.

CLAIM: Opponents say that after lawmakers in 2005 allocated more than $1 billion to be used for "growth management" projects — either transit or road construction — DOT squirreled away that money and is using it to finance the CSX deal.

Dockery said she plans to show at today's hearing what DOT has done with that money.
FACT: Those growth-management dollars have been committed to transportation projects across the state, including SunRail; a $1.8 billion-and-growing Port of Miami Tunnel project; and a widening of Interstate 595 in Broward County. SunRail is the single largest beneficiary, but DOT couldn't say how much of that money was being devoted to SunRail.

"I'm paying for projects with it," Thibault said. "I have every dollar programmed [committed to projects]."