Paying debt service on bonds is exactly the wrong way to go in fixing Connecticut’s transportation system and Republicans know it!
The governor and anyone saying to just cut the gasoline tax by five cents is not listening.
Let me make this very easy: Voters, Democrats and Republicans alike, remember the past of raiding the Special Transportation Fund. We are talking about billions of dollars, not chump change.
With that said, to make voters/taxpayers happy, the following must be done:
1. Eliminate the hidden gas tax called the gross receipts tax that saves the voters who have been paying the tab and the ones who were robbed –it’s a break that makes sense.
2. The Transportation Lock box must be a real lock box that can only be changed by a voter referendum. That restores the trust that has been broken with the taxpayers of this state. If highway toll money is really going to only be used for transportation and not misdirected, what is the problem?
The only reason the governor or either party would not do this is if the real intent is to redirect the toll revenue like they have in the past. Both parties are too blame for this!
Now is the time to restore trust to those who pay the bills – the taxpayers of Connecticut. Period!
Michael J. Fox Sr. is Executive Director of the Gasoline and Automotive Service Dealers of America, Inc.
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How about the Democrats working in good faith before they ask for any more money? We passed a supposed lock box last year by 80%. And what do they do less than 8 months later? They divert money from the STF. And people wonder why we don’t trust them.
My suggestion is exactly that – create a lock box that only the Tax Payers can change – not the Gov not either body of the Legislator. All revenue intended to Fund the STF goes directly to the Lock Box STF and cannot be altered or diverted except by voter referendum and only real transportation related costs can be paid from the fund. Period!! We have the money – just when the bank account ( STF) builds up, they raid it or add costs that have nothing to do with the original intent of the fund and they divert taxes revenue that was suppose to go to the fund and use those funds for who knows what. Now, we the people paying those taxes will control that fund. PERIOD! SIMPLY PUT ON MATTERS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE – WE DO NOT TRUST EITHER SIDE OF THE POLITICAL ISLE ANYMORE! WE WILL NOT BE FOOLED AGAIN.
Very good idea. I, for one, believe that there are billions of dollars in government waste that should be addressed first but, with that said, I would consider tolls as an option if I were absolutely, positively, convinced that this money would be used to repair or roads, dams, and bridges. But, short of some divine intervention I don’t think it is realistic. The politicians will always find a “temporary”, “one-time”,”emergency” workaround to get their hands on our money and give it to some favored or protected class of voters, expand the bureaucracy, or procure a barrel of pork.
There are few things that are impossible in this life, especially when strong, passionate human will is applied. However, finding a foolproof way of keeping taxpayer’s money out of the hands of politicians ragardless of the strength of the agreement, contract, or lockbox is one of those impossible dreams.
When politicians can become well-informed, clear thinkers whose only goal is to do what is best for society regardless of the consequences at reelection time, then and ONLY then will I entertain the concept of tolls.
However, I first want to see serious and comprehensive restructuring of government employee compensation such that promises can be kept without the continued can-kicking. In addition, policies and programs designed to assist our less fortunate citizens must provide genuine assistance and not foster dependence on government.
As many folks have expressed here and elsewhere, it is indeed a trust issue. Right now that trust does not exist.
The money from tolls could all go into the lockbox. And free up an about equal amount which had been allocated to transportation by the legislature.
A lockbox on tolls without a maintenance of effort provision is a way to add revenues to the general fund.