H
Harry Hope
Guest
From The Kansas City Star, 4/17/08:
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/11111
More money for roads? Don't bet on McCain
When work starts on a new Paseo Bridge this week, it will be a
monument to what your gas taxes can fund.
Gas taxes are the life's blood of highway funding, which is why Sen.
John McCain's proposal to suspend the federal 18.4-cent gas tax this
summer drew so much criticism from transportation circles today.
"This proposal would have devastating impacts upon the federal-aid
highways and transit programs, sharply reducing funding available to
states and jeopardizing hundreds of thousands of jobs" said John
Horsley, president of the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials.
"Such a move would be short-sighted and damaging to our nation's
economy while providing little relief to America's drivers," Horsley
said in his statement.
Suspending the tax sounds good, yes.
But as has been pointed out many times when it comes to funding
transportation, nobody gets a pass -- unless of course you don't drive
a car.
The country is already running short on highway funds.
The pot of money that funds highways in this country is running a $3.2
billion deficit, meaning that short of some drastic action soon,
you're going to see highway projects cut back later this year Kansas
highway czar Deb Miller has already named some projects for the
chopping block if the feds have to cut back on highway spending
because of the deficit.
Federal cuts could translate into about $300-$400 million in cuts in
Missouri and $140 million in Kansas.
Transportation folks say that McCain's idea only exacerbates the
highway funding problem.
AASHTO estimates McCain's idea will cost the country $8.5 billion in
fuel taxes.
That kind of money will take care Kansas City's highway needs on both
sides of the state line (they total about $5 billion) and build a nice
light rail line for Kansas City.
You probably would still have money left over for bus rapid transit
lines proposed for Wyandotte County and Overland Park as well.
The American Public Transportation Association ripped McCain's
proposed Thursday in a statement.
"Now is the time for leadership on transportation issues not pandering
to voters with an alleged "quick fix" to the economy through the
suspension of the gas tax through the summer months," the association
said.
"The truth is that gas prices are high because the cost of oil is
high; they're not because of the federal gas tax. The truth is we need
the federal gas tax to pay for the much-needed highway and public
transportation infrastructure. Do we really want our bridges to fall
down? No. Do we want to see bus routes and train lines cut? No.
Americans are used to their independence and want their transportation
systems to not only be maintained, but improved and expanded."
________________________________________________
Johnny McCain proves again that he's clueless.
Harry
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/11111
More money for roads? Don't bet on McCain
When work starts on a new Paseo Bridge this week, it will be a
monument to what your gas taxes can fund.
Gas taxes are the life's blood of highway funding, which is why Sen.
John McCain's proposal to suspend the federal 18.4-cent gas tax this
summer drew so much criticism from transportation circles today.
"This proposal would have devastating impacts upon the federal-aid
highways and transit programs, sharply reducing funding available to
states and jeopardizing hundreds of thousands of jobs" said John
Horsley, president of the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials.
"Such a move would be short-sighted and damaging to our nation's
economy while providing little relief to America's drivers," Horsley
said in his statement.
Suspending the tax sounds good, yes.
But as has been pointed out many times when it comes to funding
transportation, nobody gets a pass -- unless of course you don't drive
a car.
The country is already running short on highway funds.
The pot of money that funds highways in this country is running a $3.2
billion deficit, meaning that short of some drastic action soon,
you're going to see highway projects cut back later this year Kansas
highway czar Deb Miller has already named some projects for the
chopping block if the feds have to cut back on highway spending
because of the deficit.
Federal cuts could translate into about $300-$400 million in cuts in
Missouri and $140 million in Kansas.
Transportation folks say that McCain's idea only exacerbates the
highway funding problem.
AASHTO estimates McCain's idea will cost the country $8.5 billion in
fuel taxes.
That kind of money will take care Kansas City's highway needs on both
sides of the state line (they total about $5 billion) and build a nice
light rail line for Kansas City.
You probably would still have money left over for bus rapid transit
lines proposed for Wyandotte County and Overland Park as well.
The American Public Transportation Association ripped McCain's
proposed Thursday in a statement.
"Now is the time for leadership on transportation issues not pandering
to voters with an alleged "quick fix" to the economy through the
suspension of the gas tax through the summer months," the association
said.
"The truth is that gas prices are high because the cost of oil is
high; they're not because of the federal gas tax. The truth is we need
the federal gas tax to pay for the much-needed highway and public
transportation infrastructure. Do we really want our bridges to fall
down? No. Do we want to see bus routes and train lines cut? No.
Americans are used to their independence and want their transportation
systems to not only be maintained, but improved and expanded."
________________________________________________
Johnny McCain proves again that he's clueless.
Harry
