Massive cut in Calif. transit project funding
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
Faced with plummeting gasoline tax revenue, state transportation officials have announced plans to cut funding for road and transit projects by $754 million over the next five years, the greatest reduction in two decades.
The 38 percent decrease was approved by the California Transportation Commission on Thursday, the same day Gov. Jerry Brown used his State of the State address to call on the Legislature to end the gridlock in negotiations over new taxes and fees for transportation projects.
“What this means is that almost every county in California that relies on this source of funding for projects that improve traffic and air quality will have to cut or delay projects indefinitely,” said Lucy Dunn, chairwoman of the commission.
Keep funding the gravy train for the friends of government, the politically connected, and the correct underclasses, while making life increasingly miserable for the working commuter.
It’s how it works now. Those who pay the bills get stuffed.
Yet they have money for the bullet train to nowhere.
If bureaucrats and legislators had used the gasoline and road taxes for roads and highways, they wouldn’t be caught in the lurch now. The problem is they have diverted and squandered the taxes elsewhere.
To hell with the roads. We need more sidewalks and bicycle trails.
Last summer I witnessed CalTrans sweeping the dirt and pine needles off of HWY 89 on the way to Camp Rich. One sweeper with two men inside, a snow plow truck with warning sign and porta potty in tow, two pickup trucks one a half mile ahead the other a half mile behind with warning signs and what appeared to be a supervisor in another truck.
I have said it for years. We have to let the people the use the roads pay for them. We need a toll on every major highway in the State. Turn them over to private enterprise to build and maintain them. Keep the current gas tax to provide support to local roads and transit. The toll roads in LA are fantastic. Of course I understand that in LA they are the domain of the wealthy just like the HOV/Toll lanes are becoming in the Bay Area. The gas tax is a regressive tax, let the users pay. We have to build a 21st Century Transportation System.
Noel-
I agree with you to a point. I fear a huge management bureaucracy being established to manage user taxes. The lottery system that was supposed to funnel funds to schools, but eats up most in management fees and bigger government. Cal Trans is in the midst of a study to charge for use of highways by miles driven.
I am not up to speed on toll roads in SoCal, but do business in Denver and can tell you positively that the toll road built between the City and the airport is usually empty. It is so bad that the rental car agencies now give directions generally only to the toll road exits so a lot of people who don’t know about the toll free highway get screwed.
Personally, I fear private enterprise in our current political system far more than I fear the government.
I do not want to go back to a “company store” system as was common of old, and seems where we are headed now. Mega corporations are eating the competition daily, and when there is only one source for whatever we need, we are really screwed.
I’ve been willfully ignorant for years-I say what’s wrong with Liberty Energy clones bringing you all your power, toll roads, education, food supply and prisons for all that don’t comply-all at a price and level of service that benefits only our shareholders!-Brilliant!
sunriser2-
I don’t know where you live, but I see bike trails every day so poorly utilized that I cannot see the value. In the city of SLT maybe, but so far, and particularly this time of year, to depend on a bike to get from say, Meyers to work at the Y is just taking your life in your hands. Great for tourists who have no schedule but not dependable for the daily grind of getting to the store/work/doctor etc.
Sidewalks in SLT should absolutely be required….but the snow etc remains a huge problem for half the year.
Transit of a public nature is needed. I believe a huge part of the problem is the regulations so heavily specify how it must be done, the costs go through the roof, and there is no money.
In SLT we have these large buses that are usually running 20 percent full, when smaller van type shuttles would see higher seat utilization and don’t cost as much to buy or run. That seems so obvious.
Cranky I was kidding. I hate the sidewalks and bike lanes.