TALLAHASSEE - When the Legislature passed a 147-page transportation bill this year, it did so with huge majorities in both houses.
It's not hard to understand why lawmakers liked the bill. Road building interests are political players with deep pockets. Either directly or through political action committees, they pump millions of dollars into campaign coffers.
Take, for example, the Florida Transportation Builders, a political action committee representing construction, mining, asphalt and concrete companies. The PAC has collected $1.27 million since 1996 and passed out $210,000 to candidates and political parties during that time.
Bob Burleson, president of the Transportation Builders, said the group lobbied hard for the transportation bill. The group mainly was interested in a section that makes contractors who are prequalified to work for the state automatically qualified to work for local governments.
But Burleson says his group also is happy with a provision making it easier for the state Department of Transportation's Turnpike District to build toll roads.
Burleson said the Transportation Builders contribute to political campaigns to make sure the state's transportation trust fund won't be raided for nontransportation needs.
The five companies who receive the most dollars of state road- building contracts pumped $472,116 into political campaigns during the past six years. That doesn't include what they gave transportation and construction PACs during the same period and the dozens of lobbyists they employ.
The campaign contributions have flowed steadily to the politicians who decide how much money the state pumps into road construction projects each year. Critics say the contributions are the reason the Legislature always manages to find money for growth-related projects like road building even in years when the state struggles to find money for schools and social services.
This year's transportation law is a road builder's dream. The Turnpike District has more leeway to borrow money and can add gas stations, motels and other businesses along its toll roads.
The law lowers the bar on the economic feasibility test intended to keep the district from building unneeded roads. The agency can build toll roads into unpopulated areas using a bottomless pot of money from profitable turnpikes in South Florida.
Anderson Columbia Co. is sure to benefit from the new law. Based in north-central Florida, the company perennially is among DOT's top contractors. Anderson can use its size and political connections to try to win bids for new toll roads many think will be built in rural North Florida.
Anderson has given $236,000 to politicians and political parties since 1996, more than the other four top state road builders. During the past five years, it has received more money in state contracts than all the other road builders except one, Orlando-based Hubbard Construction.
Anderson spokesman Jim McClellan said Anderson doesn't expect special treatment by state officials. Besides, he said, DOT contracts are awarded to the lowest bidders in an open process.
"I think Mr. [Joe] Anderson [III] feels like supporting the political process is, in fact, supporting your country and your state,'' McClellan said. ``It's like asking what do you get for giving to your local church. There is no quid pro quo.''
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TOP ROAD BUILDERS ARE GOOD DONORS
About $1.6 bilion of the $6.25 billion in road contracts that the Florida Department of Transportation awared over the past five years has gone to these five companies. The companies contribute heavily to political parties and candidates through direct contributions or through political action committees.
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Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (850) 222-8382.