Why Stopping The Diversion

Of Transportation Funding Is Important

August 2, 2002

There are only a few days left before we go to the polls to cast our votes on August 6^th and I want to encourage everyone to vote.  As you are aware, on August 6 we will have the right to vote on the biggest tax increase in Missouri history.  Prop B will increase sales and gas taxes by approximately $500 million per year for "transportation projects."  In order to fix transportation in Missouri the diversion of highway funds to non-transportation related government functions must be stopped and accountability must be placed upon the Highway Commission.

The Diversion

In the last five fiscal years, over one BILLION dollars ($1,027,632,473) has been diverted from highway projects to other state agencies.  To put this in perspective, MoDOT says that it will cost between $2.5 billion and $3 billion to provide three lanes of pavement in both directions, a wider median and shoulders, and the capability to add lanes in the future on I-70 between St. Louis and Kansas City.  Upgrades and improvements to I-70 would be half complete if we had spent the over $1 billion there that was diverted.

The Departments:

 In addition, more than $190 million is expected to be diverted during the fiscal year that began July 1, 2002.  The state agencies that receive transportation money include the Highway Patrol, Department of Revenue, Department of Economic Development, Office of Administration, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Department of Natural Resources and the Governor's Office.

        1.      Highway Patrol

        The state Constitution provides that the Highway Patrol should receive transportation funding for the enforcement of traffic laws and regulations.  However, the Patrol spends highway money on more than traffic enforcement.  A June 2001 audit revealed that staff in the Drug and Crime Control Division of the Highway Patrol were paid from highway funds.  These officers and staff do not work on highway-related activities and they are supposed to be paid out of the state's General Revenue Fund.  However, when their General Revenue money runs out, they pay them out of highway funds.  During the last fiscal year, nearly $4.2 million of highway funds were spent for staff in the administration section of the Highway Patrol.  The administration section includes various divisions, including budget and procurement, the personnel office, research and development, construction and maintenance, and motor equipment.  The crime lab, the Patrol's academy, and the Governor's security detail also receive highway funds.  For fiscal year 2002, the Highway Patrol received over $111 million in highway funds.  For the current fiscal year, they are estimated to receive nearly $120 million in highway funds.

        2.      Governor's Office

        Staff in the Governor's Office is paid from highway funds.  Shortly after taking office, the Governor created a new Cabinet Director position in his office with a salary of $110,000 per year.         It was discovered in the past few months, that highway funds were being diverted from the Highway Patrol and MoDOT to partially fund the salary for the Governor's Cabinet Director. In fact, $56,950 of the Cabinet Director's $110,000 salary came from highway funds during the last fiscal year which ended June 30.

Stopping The Diversion

        Senate Bill 915 is the bill that authorized placing Prop B on the August ballot.  At one point SB 915 contained provisions to end the diversion of highway funds to non-transportation related functions to ensure the maximum amount of money would truly go to building and maintaining roads, highways and bridges.  The bill contained a requirement that three years after passage of Prop B, these diversions would begin to be phased out over a period of five years and the lost funding would be replaced with other revenue sources.  The Governor's Office was strongly against ending the diversion of highway funds and lobbied heavily to have the limits removed.  The Governor's Office said it would take too much money out of the General Revenue fund.  They were successful in their efforts and during the legislative process that provision was stripped from the bill.

No Guarantee Money Will Go To Transportation

        Prop B specifies how much of the new tax revenue is to be spent on highways, public transit, and ethanol and biodiesel incentives.  However, there is nothing to prevent the Governor from withholding the revenue generated from the sales tax increase and redirecting the money to other areas of state government much like he has done with the tobacco settlement money.

Until I am sure that the taxes we pay for transportation projects are actually going to fund transportation I will not support additional funding.  Now, whether you support or oppose Prop B, I urge you to vote on August 6.

Contact Me

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. You may contact me in Jefferson City at 573-751-2459 or write to me at mailto:jcrowell@services.state.mo.us or Jason Crowell; House of Representatives; State Capitol; Jefferson City, MO  65101 or visit me on the web at http://www.jasoncrowell.com. 

        Thank you for your time.