Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism
CT VIEWPOINTS -- opinions from around Connecticut

Crowdfunding our way out of transportation gridlock.

  • CT Viewpoints
  • by Matthew Chudoba
  • November 5, 2019
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

A fictional representation of what a crowdfunding appeal might look like.

While I continue to believe a user fee is the best way to address the poor condition of roads and bridges in Connecticut (rated a “C-” by the American Society of Civil Engineers), here is a novel idea for those against tolls/increases in the gas tax: crowdfunding.

Albeit my knowledge of the topic is rather limited (I am familiar with crowdfunding as it relates to real estate given my profession), I do think it would make some sense to at least broach the topic for conversation.

It’s abundantly clear from the feedback I received as a result of the last commentary I wrote that Republicans (and many Democrats) are steadfastly against tolls unless pension reform happens. (Most Nutmeggers know that there’s a higher probability of the UConn football team making a BCS bowl game again before this happens). Let’s face it, no matter the outcome of those conversations, Republicans will accuse Democrats of not going far enough, while Democrats will chide conservatives as not being realistic. Meanwhile, our infrastructure will continue to deteriorate.

Here’s a brief history of how crowdfunding came into existence: Roughly 135 years ago, in 1885, the French gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States of America. What the statue didn’t come with, however, was the granite pedestal it sits on today. Low and behold, with local, state and federal governments arguing over who would cover the cost of the construction (sound familiar?), newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer stepped up to the plate.

Pulitzer turned to the crowd, asking readers of the New York World for donations to fund the construction of the pedestal. In just five months, the campaign raised over $100,000 from more than 160,000 people (the majority of donations were less than $1). As a token of gratitude, all contributors received their names published in the paper.

How is this story relevant to improving the infrastructure in Connecticut? It’s simple. (It’s also possible that Mr. Wonderful might tell me to take this idea behind the barn and shoot it). The Connecticut Department of Labor issued its September 2019 jobs report recently, which reported nearly 1.7 million nonfarm jobs (a year-over-year increase of 0.5%). Imagine if roughly 60% of those 1.7 million people contributed $100 to a crowdfunding campaign dedicated to improving the infrastructure of Connecticut? That would raise approximately $100 million in badly needed funds.

The majority of those who commute have probably said on more than one occasion (tongue-in-cheek) that they would give an arm and a leg to avoid the daily frustration of sitting in stop-and-go traffic (I commuted from Hamden to Norwalk for three-and-a-half years, so believe me, I questioned how much I really needed my right hand (I’m a lefty)). Imagine if all it costs you was $100 (or whatever you’re willing to pay for less congestion; maybe less, maybe more)? It certainly would be much more affordable than the medical bills you would accrue from having your arm/leg amputated.

Time and time again, we read heartwarming stories about fundraising campaigns on crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe (the top 10 fundraisers of 2018 on GoFundMe collectively raised $58 million). Certainly incredible. The point is not to compare Connecticut’s infrastructure needs to a heartbreaking tragedy like the one the families of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team endured, but rather, to show how willing people are to contribute to something that affects them—whether directly or indirectly.

Why not see if Connecticut can have its Pulitzer moment by turning to the crowd for its infrastructure needs? There are certainly many pros to this approach: no tolls, no tax increases, voluntary contributions at an amount of your choosing, and the funds would be protected from misuse or being rerouted to balance the budget (like so many times in the past). He or she who organizes the crowdfunding campaign could work with the government to properly identify and bid out transportation projects in dire need of repair. Heck, maybe one of you lucky contributors would even have a road or bridge named after you. Libertarians would love it as it puts the power back in the hands of the people.

While it all sounds too good to be true (it probably is), what I like least of all about this approach is that it lets New Yorkers and Bay Staters off the hook. They would continue to get by scot-free on the Boston-to-New York parkway while we shoulder the burden. Secondly, it is a pure gimmick. A crowdfunding campaign isn’t a sustainable source of revenue, nor would it come close to raising the projected $800 million annually that tolls would.

Is crowdfunding our way out of this mess realistic? Highly unlikely, but there’s no harm in at least presenting the idea to the crowd itself. Have at it Hartford. And if by some chance this does happen, you can count on my $100 (you can name the bridge after someone else though).

Matthew Chudoba is a strategic communications professional with over six years of agency and internal
experience. He is currently is an account director at a Norwalk-based communications firm, where he is
on the company’s real estate team.

CTViewpoints welcomes rebuttal or opposing views to this and all its commentaries. Read our guidelines and submit your commentary here.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
The marijuana legalization debate must be based on facts
by Will Jones III

In response to my earlier piece on why Connecticut lawmakers should reject marijuana commercialization,  Brendan Ruberry wrote a rebuttal that, on its face seems scathing, but to be clear, the attempted rebuttal falls flat and well off the mark.

Equity for women and girls essential to rebuild Connecticut’s economy
by Jennifer Steadman and Michelle Riordan-Nold

As Connecticut’s economy seeks to recover and rebuild, our success as a state will depend on how we respond to the disproportionate adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women and girls, particularly women and girls of color.

Connecticut immigrants deserve health insurance
by Brooke Lifland, MD; Tanner Bommersbach, MD; Marco Ramos, MD PhD; and Eden Almasude, MD

Connecticut should pass House Bill 6334 to expand health insurance to all immigrants regardless of status. Our state wisely chose to protect the immigrant community by using Emergency Medicaid funds to cover expenses associated with COVID-19 testing and treatment for residents who were excluded from Medicaid based on their immigration status.

Truth or consequences: The impact of lie-based politics
by Charles M. Ericson and Sedona Ericson

A radio show by the above name, emceed by a man named Ralph Edwards, became a big hit starting in 1940. It eventually became a TV show, and all told, it lasted for decades. The format of the show was to be asked a question, and if it was not answered truthfully, the contestant submitted to undertaking a silly stunt of almost any kind. The show seemed reflective of a culture that valued untruth for perceived rewards, however trivial.

Recreational marijuana and sports gambling will be all around us
by Steven Block

It is likely that every other state in the Northeast will regulate both marijuana and sports gambling within a few years. The passage of these important bills in 2021 will allow Connecticut to become a competitive force in the region rather than an island of legislative stagnation.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The marijuana legalization debate must be based on facts
by Will Jones III

In response to my earlier piece on why Connecticut lawmakers should reject marijuana commercialization,  Brendan Ruberry wrote a rebuttal that, on its face seems scathing, but to be clear, the attempted rebuttal falls flat and well off the mark.

Opinion Equity for women and girls essential to rebuild Connecticut’s economy
by Jennifer Steadman and Michelle Riordan-Nold

As Connecticut’s economy seeks to recover and rebuild, our success as a state will depend on how we respond to the disproportionate adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women and girls, particularly women and girls of color.

Opinion Connecticut immigrants deserve health insurance
by Brooke Lifland, MD; Tanner Bommersbach, MD; Marco Ramos, MD PhD; and Eden Almasude, MD

Connecticut should pass House Bill 6334 to expand health insurance to all immigrants regardless of status. Our state wisely chose to protect the immigrant community by using Emergency Medicaid funds to cover expenses associated with COVID-19 testing and treatment for residents who were excluded from Medicaid based on their immigration status.

Opinion Truth or consequences: The impact of lie-based politics
by Charles M. Ericson and Sedona Ericson

A radio show by the above name, emceed by a man named Ralph Edwards, became a big hit starting in 1940. It eventually became a TV show, and all told, it lasted for decades. The format of the show was to be asked a question, and if it was not answered truthfully, the contestant submitted to undertaking a silly stunt of almost any kind. The show seemed reflective of a culture that valued untruth for perceived rewards, however trivial.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO