Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 30, 2018

All Aboard Florida’s $1.75 billion in tax exempt private activity bonds are not only in link with the law and regulations, they’re not without precedent in federal funding of railroad projects, the company stated Monday. In a letter to U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Government Operations, All Aboard Florida’s […]

Scott PowersApril 26, 2018

Armed with newly-raised congressional skepticism about the legitimacy of a financing method used by the company, state Sen. Debbie Mayfield on Wednesday urged Gov. Rick Scott to pull Florida from the financing deal backing Brightline’s proposed private passenger railroad along the east coast. Scott’s office replied that it would review it. At issue is $1.75 billion […]

Scott PowersApril 24, 2018

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday joined his congressional colleagues U.S. Republican Reps. Brian Mast and Bill Posey in questioning whether All Aboard Florida should have received $1.75 billion in federally authorized, tax-exempt private activity bonds to build its private, higher-speed railroad from South Florida to Orlando. Mast, of Palm City, and Posey, of Rockledge, led a […]

Scott PowersApril 19, 2018

Brightline’s use of federal tax-exempt Private Activity Bonds, to build the privately owned and operated higher-speed passenger railroad that would connect Orlando to South Florida, was sharply criticized Thursday during a congressional hearing. Brightline, also known as All Aboard Florida, is planning to use $1.5 billion worth of the federally authorized bonds to pay for […]

Scott PowersMarch 2, 2018

With the derailment of bills seeking state regulation of the private Brightline passenger train system, state Sen. Debbie Mayfield has gotten language inserted into the Senate budget plan that would authorize a safety study of the train. The budget proposal includes new language that would authorize a transportation research center at the University of South […]

Scott PowersFebruary 13, 2018

Martin and Indian River Counties, together with the Citizens Against Rail Expansion in Florida organization, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against U.S. Department of Transportation officials for approving the Brightline private passenger train. The suit, which also included the Indian River County Emergency Services District, charges that the federal department, Secretary Elaine Chao, the Federal […]

Scott PowersFebruary 6, 2018

Based on the results of a records request state Sen. Debbie Mayfield and state Rep. Erin Grall conducted, Indian River County Attorney Dylan Reingold declared Tuesday morning that Florida can legally regulate Brightline trains, and that the Department of Transportation knows that. Reingold cited correspondence Mayfield and Grall dug up that shows the Federal Railroad […]

Danny McAuliffeJanuary 23, 2018

Brightline, the high-speed passenger train now running between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, could have to spend about $349 million on safety improvements. That’s after lawmakers and others, upset over the railway’s dangers, leveraged recent train-related deaths to push for more safety measures. Republicans Sen. Debbie Mayfield of Melbourne and Rep. Erin Grall of Vero Beach […]

Scott PowersJanuary 17, 2018

Now that four people have been killed after somehow walking or bicycling into Brightline railroad trains’ paths, the state senator who has been pushing for Florida to regulate safety for the state’s new high-speed, private passenger rail service decried whether there have been enough tragedies for the state to start considering train safety. “How many […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 17, 2018

The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee voted unanimously Tuesday for a bill by Sen. Lauren Book (SB 376) that would include in the Worker’s Compensation Law benefits for first responders who sustain mental or nervous injuries such as PTSD in the line of duty. The forward momentum for the bill got the attention of CFO […]

Tag: All Aboard Florida

All Aboard Florida defends its bond status for railroad money

Debbie Mayfield urges Rick Scott to ‘protect’ state from Brightline bond questions

Marco Rubio joins calls questioning federal financing behind Brightline

Brightline’s financing challenged in congressional hearing

With train bills dead, safety study language appears in Senate budget offer

Brightline opponents sue federal officials for approving train

Florida can regulate Brightline, Indian River attorney says

Brightline could face nearly $350M safety improvement tab

With four Brightline pedestrian deaths, Debbie Mayfield imploring need for state safety regulation

Capitol Reax: Workers’ comp, payday loans, vacation rentals, train safety, AOB