Florida Turns Down High Speed Rail funds

Florida becomes the latest state - after Wisconsin and Ohio - to turn down funds for a high speed rail line. Florida was given around $2.5 billion in federal recovery funds from 2009 that by law have to go to construction that increases the speed and availability of passenger rail.



This money is likely to be distributed between California, Illinois and the New York region - probably the areas where it is best spent anyway.

Next up is the budget battle to keep this year's authorization of $2.5 billion in play and to make sure Amtrak continues to be funded. A Republican proposal would cut Amtrak funds to $400 billion, not enough to maintain and run the rail program, which has seen record ridership for 15 straight months.