Florida's new governor, Republican Rick Scott, has rejected $2.4 billion in U.S. stimulus money that had been intended to go for a high-speed rail project linking Tampa to Orlando.

The Obama administration has said it will redirect that money to other states. Hmmm. I wonder whether Maryland can think of a use for some of that money for projects on the Northeast Corridor.

Scott said he was rejecting the money over concerns that the project would cost too much money and fail to meet its ridership projections. He also expressed worries over the possibility of  cost overruns that could be passed on to Florida taxpayers.

Critics charged that Scott was costing the state thousands of jobs at a time of high unemployment as  well as squandering an opportunity to expand the state's tourist infrastructure.