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Editorial: Zeroing in: Priorities key to fixing U.S. bridges
The Oklahoman
August 15, 2007
Reacting to the recent highway bridge collapse in Minnesota, the chairman of the U.S. House Transportation Committee proposed a 5-cent increase in the federal gasoline tax to create a trust fund for repairing or replacing deficient bridges. Tax and spend is doing fine in Washington.
President Bush rightly slapped down the idea, urging Congress to properly spend revenue already generated by the 18.3-cents-a-gallon gas tax before it considers a tax increase that will boost the cost of living for American families and negatively impact the economy.
Specifically, Bush targeted the practice of earmarking — projects inserted in spending bills by individual lawmakers. In the case of the highway bill, which is funded by the federal gas tax, a number of earmarks historically have had little to do with highways or bridges.
"Each member on that (Transportation) committee gets to set his or her own priorities first,” Bush said. "That's not the right way to prioritize the people's money.”
The last six-year highway bill, passed in 2005, totaled $286 billion. Of that, about $65 billion was devoted to earmark projects. Not all earmarks are bad — $130 million was designated for the Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway. But some are. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, says earmarks for museums and other non-highway projects totaled $5 billion in the 2005 bill. Speaking in Edmond last week, Coburn said Congress has "taken its eye off the ball” at a time when the nation's infrastructure needs are dire.
If a lack of money really was the issue, then there could be a debate on raising the gasoline tax. But the problem, as noted by Bush and Coburn, is priorities — misplaced priorities. Instead of increasing the gas tax, Congress should exercise better stewardship over the funds it already has.
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