Local Elected Officials Want Funds Re-Directed Back To Rail Expansion

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A coalition of elected officials from Miami-Dade County and other local municipalities are demanding immediate action to re-direct more than $90 million back to the expansion of the Metro-Rail system.

They are saying that they're prepared to sue.

Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Gimenez says solving the county's transportation dilemma is all about buses.

That's what the county can afford.

Elected officials from south Miami-Dade say residents have been paying a ½ cent tax for years on the promise of a rail system; a one ticket train ride from South Miami-Dade to the Broward County line.

Leading the charge is commissioner Xavier Suarez.

"That money is there, we just have to quite misusing it and applying it to the system it was supposed to be, which is the extension of the rail system," said Suarez.

The claim is that the county has taken $2.6 billion ticketed for rail infrastructure and used it for maintenance of the current bus and partial rail service.

"From every poll, the independent polls we have conducted, over 70 percent of the people in Miami-Dade County want rail," said Rep Kionne McGhee. "No question about it."

Wednesday's press conference was scheduled a day before the county commission will vote on proceeding with the bus plan for the south end of Miami-Dade.

Alyce Brovo is Miami-Dade County's transportation chief.

"It is the same time saving for passengers as rail," she said. "Same stations. Bus will always have a green light. The issue is it will cost a quarter of what rail would."