Your Opinion: Vote ‘no’ on Prop. D

Dennis P. Morrissey

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

Missouri voters are being asked to approve Proposition D, a 59 percent fuel tax increase, to fund road and bridge improvements. We are told there is a shortage of funds.

In 2004 voters authorized $2.25 billion road construction bonds with the promise that MoDOT would fix our roads and bridges and we could pay off the bonds with future revenue. Roads and bridges were fixed over the ensuing years but now they say we are short on road funds. Any current fund shortage was planned and exacerbated by state entities’ incorrect projection of tax revenues.

The truth is the state portion of the Proposition D tax increase goes to fund the Highway Patrol. In 2004 Missouri voted to divert the sales tax on vehicles to fund the patrol and their budget increased 73 percent, according to a US News article. This proposition appears to be another funding grab by the patrol. More road funds will only be available because Proposition D frees up other patrol funding.

Other Proposition D problems:

A: Allows funds to be diverted from General Revenue for use on roads. This will take money away from other state programs.

B: We do not know exactly how MoDOT will use the funds. Funds could be used on airports, railroads, river ports, bicycle paths and sidewalks.

C: Proposition D will likely be declared illegal because of the way it was amended onto a bill with a different topic.

MoDOT has a mentality of building more roads instead of maintaining roads. We need a smaller fuel tax increase that is restricted for road and bridge repair and a moratorium on building new roads. Funds should not be used for the patrol or new MoDOT equipment and pay raises. The increase should not be piggybacked on a bill addressing taxability of Special Olympics athletes awards. It should not contain a provision allowing use of other state general revenue for highways.

We need to fix and maintain our existing roads and bridges — not build more roads. Please vote no on Proposition D and tell our legislators to do it right next session.