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An unanimous Supreme Court has rejected arguments that Governor Rick Scott overstepped his authority when he refused more than two billion federal dollars to build high speed rail in Florida. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the initial suit was a long shot.

The Supreme Court decision was short and to the point: the two State senators did not prove they were entitled to any relief. High Speed Rail backers were clearly disappointed.

“This has huge implications for the state of Florida. It’s a tragic loss,” Brad Ashwell with the Florida Public Interest Research Group said.

One of the key sentences in the Court’s one-page order says very clearly that their decision was based on the limited record before the court.

The complicated arguments Thursday focused on a timeline of events, with Scott’s attorney telling the court,

“The governor is not in any violation of the law,” Gov. Scott’s counsel Charles Trippe said.

The case turned in part on the fact Scott had not violated current law. He was only vowing to veto future spending, which is well within his authority.

“Including his authority to exercise a line item veto, with respect to appropriations,” Chief Justice Charles Canady said.

A statement from the Governor’s office confirmed Scott had told Federal officials early Friday “the state would not be moving forward with any Federal high speed rail plan.”

Critics say he is being shortsighted.

“The history of transit, both at the state level and nationally, has been that the dollars typically go for highways and more roads, not high speed rail, not commuter rail, not transit,” Ashwell said. “That’s the pattern we really have to break.”

The 2.4 billion that would have come to the state, will now likely be awarded to another state.

Florida has already spent 110 million dollars on high speed rail.  It’s uncertain whether the state will be reimbursed.