FRUSTRATED GOVERNOR BRANDS PASSENGER RAIL CRITICS 'CHEERLEADERS FOR FAILURE'
Gov. Ted Strickland expressed frustration Tuesday over critics of Ohio's plan to use $400 million in federal funds for conventional speed rail passenger service, calling them "cheerleaders for failure."... ..."Just to be candid with you, I've been a little frustrated. I am tired of those who are, I call them cheerleaders for failure," the governor told reporters.
"Anytime there's an idea that comes along, they immediately go look for the negatives, and for why it won't work, and why it might fail. That's not the kind of spirit that I think's going to move Ohio forward," Mr. Strickland said in a news conference outside his Statehouse office.
He said the $400 million award for capital improvements along the 256-mile corridor would have gone to another state if Ohio had not received it. He said there was no cost to the state's general revenue fund, and predicted the project would conservatively create at least 8,000 jobs.
Criticism of the project has generally centered on the slow speed of the trains - 79 mph maximum, 39 mph average - as opposed to the higher speed national network that President Barack Obama envisions.
Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) said last month that none of the construction money should be spent until a source of operating money is identified.
Sen. Jon Husted (R-Kettering) has said the rail line "could serve as one of the biggest money pits in Ohio history."
Gov. Strickland described the conventional speed start-up as an "essential" first step.
"We will be building an infrastructure. People will go to work. We will provide a traveling option for Ohio citizens," he said.
"If we had not had the opportunity to take this significant first step Ohio would have been left out. I want to tell you, the other states would be rejoicing. If Michigan had gotten $400 million dollars, they would have been touting it as a major win," Mr. Strickland said.
"Why do we continuously beat up on ourselves in this state, and why do we continuously look for the negatives instead of promoting the positives?" he asked.
The governor acknowledged political motivations on the part of some critics, although he declined to specifically identify them.
"I'm talking about anyone, regardless of who they are or what there responsibilities are, that look at $400 million dollars and don't see that as a win for Ohio. It is a win for Ohio, a significant win, and we ought to be happy about it," Mr. Strickland said.
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