HispanicBusiness

c Outgoing Florida state Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, contended Wednesday that the $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train is not hiring minorities.

His allegations were denied by SunRail spokesman Steve Olson, who said in an email that at least $16.6 million in work has awarded so far to contractors with minority connections.

"We'll let the numbers speak for themselves," Olson said.

At a news conference, Siplin said he has been trying for a year to get the state Department of Transportation, which is overseeing SunRail, to provide him with a report detailing how many blacks, Hispanics and Haitians have been working on the project.

FDOT responded by sending him 16 discs of information, which he described as "a bunch of junk."

The agency, Siplin said, has not been responsive to his continual requests for information, leading him to conclude "they have not hired one single African American, one single Hispanic, one single Haitian."

Siplin, who leaves office in November, represents parts of west Orlando, where many of his constituents are minorities.

"All I want right now," Siplin said, "is for them [SunRail] to hire blacks, Hispanics and Haitian contractors and employees."

SunRail is scheduled to start running in 2014 and will connect downtown Orlando with Volusia, Seminole and Osceola counties.