Bogus CSX Offer to Tampa

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit is in talks with CSX to possibly buy the right of ways to 22nd and 30th streets between downtown and the University of South Florida. CSX offered a shocking counter proposal. Buy 97 miles of track running from Hernando, Pasco and Hillsborough. Plus, CSX still has the right to use the track after the sale. The Tampa Bay Business Journal estimates the sale could cost the HART $238 million.

The is ridiculous. There is no reason HART should have to buy rail line it has no intention of ever using. The justification CSX is giving is it would be selling its arm but keeping its hand. That argument doesn't carry weight since CSX would still be able to use the line under the deal. The taxpayer should be outraged by what CSX is trying to do.

Pancakes Are More Than For Breakfast

CFO Alex Sink is demanding the resignation of Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos and her aide Kevin Thibault. The latter sent emails to Kopelousos with the code words "pancake," "pancakes" and "french toast." The two were not making plans to hit Denny's grand slam breakfast menu. The words refered to the CSX contract for the recently approved Sunrail deal. The Sunshine law requires all government business be conducted in the open. Kopelousos gave an explanation that doesn't pass the laugh test.

"There was nothing more, nothing less than just that," said Kopelousos, appointed by Crist in 2007. "We were not trying to circumvent any public records request. It was just a mere eye-catcher so I would look at the e-mail."

Sink sent an email out to supporters demanding the immediate removal of Kopelousos and Thibault.

Dear Friend,

Like many of you, I woke up Monday only to learn that Florida Department of Transportation officials -- including Transportation Secretary Kopelousos -- may have deliberately used code words like “pancakes” and “waffles” during the back-room crafting of commuter rail legislation in order to disguise their communications and avoid the scrutiny of public record requests.

Apparently, these government officials, YOUR government officials, may have decided "pancakes" aren't just for breakfast anymore -- but, instead, are a way to duck transparency and cover their actions.

It's not cute, nor clever. It is outrageous. We have to change the way that the people's business is done in Tallahassee. That means holding our state government accountable and ensuring that Florida officials are living up to our state’s name -- and reputation -- as The Sunshine State.

That's why I called on Governor Charlie Crist to investigate this violation of Florida's "Sunshine Law" and hold every government official involved in this scheme accountable.

If Secretary Kopelousos and her staff have been hiding their communications from the people of Florida, they should immediately resign. Floridians deserve better than the deceptive conduct that has become commonplace in Tallahassee.

It's time to let the sunshine in and hold the career politicians accountable. Please forward this email to everyone you know -- and make sure Tallahassee knows that we're watching.

Gov. Charlie Crist originally defended Kopelousos. After catching heat from Republican State Senator Paula Dockery, Crist asked the state's inspector general to investigate the emails. My experience is Florida ethics investigations tend to go nowhere. What works against Kopelousos is Crist, Sink and Dockery are running for office. Crist doesn't need the hassle and Sink and Dockery are running as reformers.

CSX Deal Dead

The Florida Senate has scrapped the horrible CSX deal.

Claiming the huge bill loaded with projects for other regions like South Florida was being weighted down by the controversial rail deal, Senate Transportation Chairman Carey Baker, R-Eustis, said he would gut the CSX legal protections and framwork for the deal to buy the 61-mile line.

"It's been a long shot," said Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster. "'It would have been a difficult vote."

Senators had prepared a raft of deal-killing amendments to the bill that had been slated for debate in the chamber today -- making changes like restricting state funding for the deal until federal money was appropriated, stripping the liability protections for CSX or prohibitng hazardous waste from being transported on the rail line.

"All we had to do was lose one amendment and it was going to be dead anyway," Webster said.

Sen. J.D. Alexander is attempting to derail (pun intended) rail funding from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Alexander badly wanted the CSX deal to go through. Now he is throwing i hissy fit because he didn't get his way.

The blog Stop CSX in Polk County broke the story that Alexander's was purchasing Phoenix Industries. Alexander owns Altantic Blue. The company bought Phoenix Industries, a frozen food vender that does business with CSX. The transporation bill would have placed CSX's new hub near Alexander's warehouse. One needs a scorecard to track Alexander's conflicts of interest.

Charlie Crist: The Undecider

Photo by the Orlando Sentinel

Florida Governor Charlie Crist can't seem to make up his mind about issues that might affect his approval rating.

The controversial abortion ultrasound bill? He’d wait to see how it looks when it reaches his desk, he said.

Allowing teachers to debate the basis of evolution? Ditto.

And the plan to bring commuter rail to Central Florida by giving CSX Transportation, a private company, sovereign immunity?

Déjà vu: “I’m interested in seeing the final product and look forward to reviewing it when it gets to my desk,” he said.

Crist has flip-flopped on abortion. Crist favors the current status quo on Florida abortion laws and is open to the possiblity to ultrasound screenings for abortions.


"Let's see what happens," Crist told the media.

Short answer: Crist is praying this bill dies in the legislature. Which might happen.

State senators were supposed to vote on the measure Friday after they halted an hour-and-a-half long discussion Thursday. But without discussion Friday morning, the Senate pushed back voting on the bill to next week, in the final days of the legislative session.

The bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, said discussion was "not quite ready."

Crist was asked if he believes in evolution. The Governor gave a convoluted answer.

Asked if he believe in evolution, Crist said, “I believe in a lot of things. We should have the freedom to have a good exchange of ideas.”

But is legislation needed to guarantee that exchange? “I’m not so sure,” Crist said.

I'm glad the press didn't grill Crist with hard-hitting questions about his beliefs in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.

The transportation bill allows CSX to not be held liable for passenger-related injuries. Taxpayers will pay for lawsuits. Sink's letter details how the Florida legislature caved in to lobbyists.

"Much of the initial negative reaction to the Department of Transportation's proposal is a direct result of the lack of full public disclosure on this several hundred-million-dollar deal," she wrote.

"DOT has claimed they were successful during negotiations with CSX, but Floridians have been given a take-it-or-leave-it plan at the 11th hour."

Crist refused to say where he stood on the CSX liability issue. A true profile in courage.