Florida Governor backs Turnpike - vetoes House speaker Rubio favors for supporter

Florida Governor Charlie Crist has vetoed corrupt legislation pushed through the legislature by House speaker Marco Rubio - legislation he admitted would protect the gasoline franchise on the Turnpike of a patron and supporter Max Alvarez.

The Turnpike wants to put out to a single bid all operations of the service plazas - food plus fuel. This would require gasoline/diesel fuel distributors who presently have concessions with Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to bid as sub-concessionaires to the primary service plaza concessionaire.

The Turnpike says it can do a better deal with a single franchise to operate all the service plazas than the present fractured system. It hopes to get a cocnessionaire to invest some $200m in refurbishing the plazas.

Gross proceeds of sales at the eight service plazas - an average of 65km (40 miles) apart are about $170m in fuel and $60m in food and drink.

Earlier this year a Miami newspaper pointed up the close relations between Speaker Rubio and Alvarez, and the benefits he stood to make from thwarting the Turnpike's procurement of a single overall concessionaire.

Rubio claims to be standing up for competition and giving smaller companies a chance to keep their business. He has accepted large campaign contributions from Alvarez.

In vetoing the bill Gov Crist said he was troubled that the Turnpike was being asked to deviate from established procurement laws put in place to ensure fairness and integrity."

Both the governor and the speaker are Republicans.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-06-16