Officials in
Pennsylvania got together this week to discuss transportation problems in the
state and what needs to be done to start solving those problems.
The House and Senate
transportation committees met with various officials over the course of two
days on a Transportation Funding Advisory Commission plan to raise about $2.5
billion in new funding within five years for transportation projects throughout
the state.
It was good to see
some of the comments from Matthew Brouillette, president and CEO of the
Commonwealth Foundation. The group is an independent, nonprofit search and
educational institute.
Brouillette spoke
about viable options to fund transportation work. He highlighted the pursuit of
user fees and tolls. But what is likely to carry the most weight among truck
drivers and the rest of the general public was his cautioning about simply
throwing money at the problem.
Instead, Brouillette
called for lawmakers to do a better job of managing revenues already available.
“More funding for
transportation – meaning higher taxes or fees on residents and motorists –
should only occur alongside significant reforms. It is our duty to ensure that
every current taxpayer dollar is well-spent before asking taxpayers to give
more of their hard-earned money at the pump, in bonded debt, or any other
revenue-raising mechanism,” Brouillette said in prepared remarks.
With the state confronted
by an estimated $3.5 billion annual shortfall in funds needed for roads,
bridges and transit, he also stressed the point of prioritizing every dollar
available.
“We must also look at
the hundreds of millions of tax dollars spent each year on less pressing
priorities such as bike trails and beautification efforts,” he stated.
In wrapping up his
remarks Brouillette summed up a lot of the frustration that truckers and others
have with all levels of government and the mentality to keep going to the well,
long after it dries up.
“Simply finding more
or new revenue sources without maximizing current transportation tax dollars
with substantive reforms will fall short of what taxpayers want and deserve
from you as their elected officials.”
