“Mr. President! Mr. President! Over here Mr. President!”
“Yes, the tall one. Um, I don’t know your name . . . but . . .”
“Mr. President, when will this administration legitimately respond to the constant increase in oil prices? Isn’t it time to make a serious commitment to alternative fuel and once and for all rid us of our dependency on Middle Eastern countries?”
“Well, gosh, like I’ve said before it’s up to the American auto makers to step up and compete against the Japanese auto makers.”
“But sticking with government spending, Mr. President. There have been millions and millions of homeland security dollars delivered to cities across the U.S., but can you explain why places like Podunk, Tenn., and Smallville, Ky., are receiving funds to fight terrorism?”
“Heck, I don’t know. Maybe this will prevent those evil menaces from staying at the economy hotel. Look, Stretch, I see where you’re going with this. But let it be known that I stood firm on the number allocated to the transportation industry. I slammed my Texas boot heel down and told members of Congress to not go higher than $284 billion and, by golly, they were awfully close. Now if that isn’t an example of fiscal responsibility, I don’t know what is. I’m done with you, Slim. Next question?” I don’t know about you, but $286.5 billion over six years was not the answer I was looking for, not from our president and certainly not from our Congress. Sure, it’s an increase over TEA-21 and there are some new sections and financial commitments which certainly will benefit the road and bridge building industry. But the fact we waited, in essence, eight years for a skin-and-bones $286 billion reauthorization bill gives me no other choice but to mark the entire journey as a failure.
The Senate had it right. Its $295 billion reauthorization version was going to supply primary donor states with a 92% return for six full years. The beauty part was every penny, dime, nickel, quarter and dollar was accounted for. The president, however, was not about to give up his favorite number, and upon hearing the Senate approval he delivered the last of a series of veto warnings. The Senate delivered a home run pitch which would have sent everyone home happy, but instead George W. dropped his bat, caught the ball and demanded the game to be played his way.
Say what you want about our feared leader, but the reality is this: Every time I turn a news page there is another story on a state raising its own gas tax to cover serious needs in road and bridge construction. Budget shortfalls are trashing just about every state capital building. Can we honestly say the $286 billion in federal funds over the next six years will help put an end to the hammer-to-piggy bank strategy at the local level?
Some have criticized my columns for offering too many whip lashings and not enough answers. Well, here’s my solution to avoiding another reauthorization failure: put together a special Congress subcommittee the day this column hits the streets and figure out how this country can adequately support highway and bridge construction. This group will really have to strategize outside the box, because raising gas taxes is moving out of the equation—faster than you might think.
More and more people are car-pooling these days, and the first of the hydrogen/electric-powered cars have already moved off the assembly lines. I also read not too long ago that the state of Arkansas is looking for ways to conserve school bus fuel. Since a majority of school districts are scrounging for money, I do not believe Arkansas is alone here. It all calculates into less fuel consumption, which in the end ultimately effects highway and bridge funding. By the time we finalize another reauthorization package alternative fuel use and alternative forms of transportation will be in full swing. And since we came up about $110 billion short with the current reauthorization I predict we’ll need at least $500 billion to carry us through 2017. The time is now to ask the right questions, and receive the right answers.
