This week the House Transportation Committee heard HJR67. HJR67 would put a small dent in our transportation funding crisis by taking 10% of all new general revenue in the future and putting it into the transportation fund. Of coarse the proponents of the resolution repeat over and over again how this proposal would increase funding for transportation without raising taxes.
The first problem with HJR67, as I see it, is that it doesn't come close to solving the transportation funding issue. The second problem is that transportation funding in this state has been traditionally funded by the gas tax and the sales tax on automobiles. When you start dipping into the general revenue fund to pay for transportation you're taking away future dollars that will no longer be able to be used for healthcare, education, and senior programs to name just a few.
To pay for the transportation needs of this state the voters of Missouri will have to approve a tax increase. Until they feel the time is right we should keep MoDOT's hand in their own cookie jar.
The first problem with HJR67, as I see it, is that it doesn't come close to solving the transportation funding issue. The second problem is that transportation funding in this state has been traditionally funded by the gas tax and the sales tax on automobiles. When you start dipping into the general revenue fund to pay for transportation you're taking away future dollars that will no longer be able to be used for healthcare, education, and senior programs to name just a few.
To pay for the transportation needs of this state the voters of Missouri will have to approve a tax increase. Until they feel the time is right we should keep MoDOT's hand in their own cookie jar.
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