Virginia will be receiving a $52 million “bonus” from the federal government for being able to run its transportation department efficiently and having projects in advanced stages of construction planning…so why am I conflicted?
According to Governor Bob McDonnell’s office: “Since [other states] did not have projects ready to go to use the funding, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reallocated the money to Virginia and other states that have projects in the pipeline ready for work to begin.”
Part of me says, “kudos” to Gov. McDonnell and the state administration for running an operation that gets this kind of “benefit” from the feds. In addition to a successful audit of VDOT earlier in his term that found us $1.4 billion for transportation (something Kaine wouldn’t even entertain doing), McDonnell has the department running more efficiently. That’s a good thing. And we all know that we have transportation issues – so the money helps.
But I am equally dismayed about why we are getting the money in the first place.
1) The federal government is $16 trillion in debt…do we really need additional federal highway money from them? Shouldn’t this money go to other priorities?
2) The trust fund for transportation is broken/in debt and money for this fund is coming from general taxpayer funds. Shouldn’t the $52 million go to ensuring transportation fund solvency or, yet again, other priorities?
3) Won’t these other states that don’t get this funding now just get it later at the expense of the taxpayer?
I could go on, but this just looks to me to be an example of government backwardness at its finest.
My gut reaction is for us to send the money back, but I know the feds would just waste it.
