NewsWatch Thursday, May 15, 2008

Sentinel Opinion: 

• Orange is way too timid in dealing with campaign contributions - Campaign-finance reform continues to be a festering sore in the effort to strengthen Orange County government’s ethics code.

Tribune Opinions: 

• More Must Be Done To Prevent Teen Deaths Behind The Wheel - Requiring teens to take full-fledged driver’s education programs could save lives.
• Without Confession, A Tough Case To Win - When a suspect asks for a lawyer, detectives should stop asking questions.
• Put The Brakes On Motorcycle Wheelies - Motorcyclists should save their stunts for the racetrack and stunt shows. Florida roadways belong to those with the good sense to keep their wheels on the ground.

Sentinel News:

• School-schedule changes spur questions from parents, students — we have answers - Now, administrators have to figure out how to provide more after-school care for middle-school students, how to ensure sports programs don’t fall apart and how to reassure anxious parents.  
• Brevard County a popular target for firebugs - Arsonists like to pick on Brevard County more than almost any area of Florida.

Ledger News:

• Donor to Honor $12 Mil. Pledge - Clear Springs developer Sanford Phelps is standing by his $12 million contribution to Polk Community College for a satellite campus in Bartow, even though the state Legislature decided not to provide matching funds for the project.
• Local Fire Crew Deployed to East Coast - A Lakeland Fire Department crew was dispatched Wednesday to help battle one of several fires raging on the state’s East Coast. The four-member engine crew, who had been on alert for 24 hours, met with other fire crews from other counties Wednesday afternoon.
• Polk Democratic Delegates in Limbo - Four Polk County delegates to the Democratic Presidential Convention still don’t know whether they will be seated and their votes counted in selecting their party’s nominee.

Tribune News: 

• State Funding Of Railroad Work Spurs Investigation - A state representative has called for an investigation into how railroad executives influenced state plans to give their companies millions for track improvements.
• Rays To Reveal Financing Plan For Stadium - Eight months after announcing plans to build a $450 million downtown waterfront stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to reveal details today on how they intend to pay for the project.
• Syesha Exits ‘American Idol,’ Clears Way For The Davids - Sarasota’s Syesha Mercado was voted off “American Idol” Wednesday night, paving the way for the expected showdown between David Archuleta and David Cook.

Lakeland Kills Commuter Rail?!

Opinion by Chuck Welch @ Lakeland Local

On the off chance you missed it, you'll want to read part one of Empirical Polk's new mini-series What's Next in the CSX ILC Commuter Rail Future?.

Josh asked some important questions. I'm looking forward to his answers.

However, I disagree with Josh that Lakeland killed the "commuter rail portion" of the CSX deal. CSX killed the commuter rail portion of the deal.

Commuter rail was never CSX's goal. They don't move people, they move freight. Selling 61 miles of extra track through a large city full of problem crossings, irritated politicians, and angry drivers was like Sunday ice cream for CSX.

Getting a modern ILC, rail improvements, and having taxpayers pay for it? That's the chocolate topping, cherry and nuts.

Except CSX wanted sprinkles too.

They overreached when they required the liability waiver. Business leaders wouldn't blame them for asking. After all, wouldn't you like to drive to work every day knowing you'd be held blameless for any mistake you made? Well, if not blameless, then at least blame with a monetary cap.

As the Sentinel reported, the liability issue brought in the Florida Justice Association. Now, that group has considerable pull. They were the anchors in the CSX deal tug of war. They weren't against commuter rail either. They simply wanted to make sure there was no liability waiver.

Of the people in Lakeland I've talked to who were against the CSX project, none expressed a desire to kill commuter rail. Lakeland kills commuter rail? That's just a sound bite.

When you discuss the CSX project around the water cooler and someone throws out that sound bite, gently inform them that a small group of citizens worked hard against secret back room deals, poorly planned projects, and a government bureaucracy hell-bent on stifling community input.

Not as glib, but far more factual.

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