WEST PALM BEACH — Frustrated by a surprise state budget cut, Tri-Rail officials vented July 25 about potentially having to ask local taxpayers to make up for the $27 million deficit, while brainstorming ways to restore the money and end state rules they said stop the train service from making more money.
The Florida Department of Transportation is slashing its annual contribution to Tri-Rail to $15 million from $42.1 million. Tri-Rail’s last train would roll down the tracks in July 2027 if no sources of money are found to fill that hole, Executive Director David Dech has said.
Even if Tri-Rail cut weekend and morning express service, along with staff in its Pompano Beach office as well as the office building itself, that would buy the rail service only about eight more weeks, Dech said during a meeting of the service’s governing board, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority…