While Florida lawmakers were making a billion-dollar raid on trust funds, draining the state's rainy day fund and slashing education, health care and social services last week to balance the state budget, the Department of Transportation was sitting on a cool $795 million in ready cash set aside for a sweetheart deal that may not even come to fruition.

The money is in hand and awaiting finalization of a deal between DOT and CSX that would create a commuter line in the Orlando area. The state's plan to buy 61 miles of rail line for the Orlando commuter train would force CSX to shift much of its freight traffic to its "S" line, which travels through the center of the state, including Ocala, and already carries a large number of trains daily.

What is puzzling about the CSX deal is that, to hear our lawmakers talk, it hinges on resolving a question of liability when CSX uses the Orlando commuter rails on off-peak hours.

Why aren't the fiscal conservatives, or just the fiscally responsible, in Tallahassee asking why the state of Florida is paying a national corporation that made a record $2.2 billion profit last year - up 26 percent from the year before, incidentally - so much for a project that some observers say could be done for one-third or less than the current projected price tag?

When a recent study declared the Orlando commuter project the costliest railroad acquisition in U.S. history - $10.5 million per mile - where were our representatives in Tallahassee demanding a reassessment of the project's scope and cost?

DOT officials say that since the CSX money was appropriated by the Legislature in 2006 for the commuter line, hence, for CSX, it does not need the Legislature's approval to move forward with the project. That, of course, begs the question: Who, exactly, is running state government, and what happened to checks and balances?

It is outrageous that the state of Florida would allow teachers to be laid off, poor people to be denied access to health care and other support services, infrastructure to be neglected and universities to turn away qualified students while it has access to $795 million of unencumbered taxpayers' money. All because a company with deep pockets, a record profit and an army of lobbyists and its patrons in the Legislature want to pay too much for a commuter rail line that is not even guaranteed of being a success.

DOT officials have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to convince the communities that will inherit the added train traffic that the deal is a win for the whole state. Orlando gets its commuter line and, presumably, less congested roads. Communities like Ocala, Alachua and Wildwood get big new overpasses, freeing up the traffic flow long interrupted by CSX trains.

Oh, and we also get a sharp increase in freight train traffic of up to 30, maybe more, trains per day. Right through the heart of town. With no economic benefit to the community at all. And as for the overpasses, the one in Ocala, at least, was not only due anyway, but overdue.

When the Legislature convenes for its regular session, it faces some $3 billion in new budget shortfalls. Before cutting education, health care and public works more, lawmakers should cut back the CSX deal. Its price tag of $795 million is simply unacceptable given the state's current economic health. That our lawmakers have refused to take a serious look at raiding the CSX fund - like it did with the Chiles Endowment - is an abrogation of duty.

The people of Florida are hurting because of the bad economy. CSX isn't. So why is there $795 million sitting in the bank for CSX, when the people of Florida are being told the worst is yet to come?

Free up the CSX money. It is the right thing to do.