Winter Park May Drop Out Of SunRail

It's the first move we've seen to raise taxes to pay for SunRail. Orange County still hasn't decided how to pay for the commuter rail when the Florida Dept of Transportation funding period ends, but WFTV found out Winter Park wants the county to raise taxes or the city may decide to drop out of SunRail altogether.

“I don't even know why we're still arguing about it,” resident Karri Baumgarden said.

Baumgarden thought she had heard the last of the controversy over SunRail, but city leaders aren't happy with Orange County because it's the only county forcing its cities to help pay for commuter rail.

Once federal money dries up, it will cost about $6 million to keep the trains running. Winter Park's share would be around $350,000 a year.

“Does this mean that if Orange County does not come up with a dedicated funding that Winter Park won't be part of this project?” WFTV reporter Daralene Jones said.

“It could mean that,” said Don Marcotte, city of Winter Park.

Winter Park leaders say they know Orange County has options to cover all of SunRail's operating costs for the county, and they plan to push Orange County to levy a new penny sales tax, rental surcharge or increase the gas tax.

“That's what the city is counting on,” Marcotte said.

There are some estimates that show a sales tax and rental surcharge alone could bring in $10 billion over 21 years.

Winter Park officials anticipate close to 500 people will catch the train every day, and those future riders hope the city and county can figure out where to come up with the money to make it happen.

“No one likes to raise taxes, especially in this economy, but I definitely think we need to sit down and hammer out and figure out how to pay for it because it needs to come here,” Baumgarden said.

Metro Plan officials say it could cost Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Volusia counties more than $20 million a year to keep SunRail running.

Winter Park will discuss SunRail funding at a meeting on May 24.