In a unanimous vote, Martin County Commissioners voted to spend up to $1.4 million to take legal action against All Aboard Florida.
Commissioners approved the money Tuesday morning —about two hours after the Indian River County Commission allocated $2.7 million to its own fight against the high-speed passenger rail service.
“600,000 voices have spoken but we’re not being heard. Why? Money talks. We need to use money too,” Commissioner Anne Scott said during the meeting, which was attended by about 25 All Aboard Florida opponents. “All Aboard Florida is an arrogant, corrupt project that flies in the face of everything we hold dear in this country.”
Commissioner John Haddox earlier this month suggested the allocation, which, he said, is needed to protect Martin County’s way of life from All Aboard Florida’s proposed 32 daily passenger trains. The private company’s $2.25 billion project would begin service from Miami to West Palm Beach by the end of next year and through the Treasure Coast to Orlando International Airport in early 2017.
But Commissioner Doug Smith on Tuesday warned against allocating money without a concrete plan.
“It’s a lot of money to throw out there without clear objectives,” he said. “I don’t know a million four goes an awful long way with a lobby effort.
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