Posted on 11/13/2009 11:09:19 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
New York State’s Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund hasn’t been all that dedicated. Since 1991, only 34.9 percent of the money in the fund went directly toward the repair and improvement of the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges. And over the next four years, that will shrink to about one fifth. It’s supposed to be a “locked box,” but apparently the lock wasn’t very strong.
If only one-third of the money in the Highway and Bridge Trust Fund has actually been used to pay for highways and bridges, the question, is, where did the money go? The answer is that nearly two thirds of fund has been siphoned off to pay for debt service on back-door borrowing and to fund operational costs for the DMV and the state Department of Transportation.
This money should be going toward keeping our roads and bridges safe, not to fund state agency operations. The bridge closing in Crown Point is just one more example of why this is so important. Using this dedicated capital money to pay for operations and debt service is just one more gimmick on the list of New York’s bad fiscal choices.
The Trust Fund was created in 1991 to fund the construction and rehabilitation of state-owned roads and bridges. But starting in FY 1994-95, the Trust Fund paid debt service for bonds that were issued by the Thruway Authority and never approved by voters. Operational revenue and spending were also added to the Trust Fund.
When New Yorkers fill up their gas tanks, a portion of the gas taxes we pay is supposed to be dedicated to fixing roads and bridges. It’s supposed to go into the “locked box.” But the shell game called the state budget has reshuffled the Trust Fund into just another smoke and mirror trick to cover budget shortfalls. New Yorkers deserve better. They need honest numbers and real accounting for their tax dollars.
When the state dedicates money for a specific purpose, that money should stay dedicated. It’s a trust fund. Let’s restore a little of taxpayers trust and use the Dedicated Highway Bridge and Trust Fund the right way – to keep our roads and bridges safe for New York families.
I harp on this issue a lot these days. The states raid these funds, then complain they aren’t raising enough revenues to pay for the highway upkeep, when they demand toll roads be instituted.
These bastards are cooked as can be.
Most non-personal trust funds run the same way. The minute any political figure says a state-run trust fund....you can kinda grin and accept the fact that it will never be used for the purposes intended.
They have been doing this in California for many years, and you can see how that has turned out. The best part is they cannot lie about it; it is all on the books, in black and white and everyone just looks the other way. All the while, the infrastructure is deteriorating or falling apart.
“..DMV and the state Department of Transportation.”
I assume this money is used to pay the salaries and benefits of fascist state bureaucrats. In Michigan, you can see DOT bureaucrats driving new SUVs and pickups that cost $30,000 or more each. Meanwhile, the taxpayers are driving 10 year old rust buckets.
Here’s the solution: fire every bureaucrat not involved in national security. Seize the assets of all the politicians and bureaucrats that have allowed this theft. Auction off their vehicles, homes, dogs and barbecue grills. Then throw them in prison for life.
The worst part of this is that it becomes impossible for these states to attract any businesses or new residents, because it is so obvious that you are not only going to be taxed out the @ss for this waste, but also that in addition to maintaining all of these expensive programs, you will be spending a huge chunk of current tax revenue to pay for spending that took place several years ago (benefiting someone other than the prospective new business or individual). Who in their right mind would move to California, New York, or New Jersey? In the case of the latter 2, people would accept the trade-off in return for better-paying jobs; now those are gone anyway.
Actually, these bastards are CROOKED as can be.
And, you are right: We should cook them!
It would be my guess that there is not one local, state or federal “trust fund” that has not been tapped for purposes other than what it was originally set up.
Waste, FRaud, abuse and theft go hand-in-hand with government programs, “lockboxed trusts” or not, because the money is there, and politicians are drawn to money like moths to flame.
Too bad we can’t flame the politicians when they abuse their positions! Elections and courts take too long and are too “iffy” for my taste.
A politician “bug zapper” springs immediately to mind!
LOL, hey they can’t all be gems. Heh heh heh...
Ping!
Stealing $$$$ FRom “trust funds” is an issue we FairTax supporters need to address. If I had my way, all excise taxes, and therefore all “trust funds” would be abolished.
Of course, the phrase “trust fund” is an oxymoron when it is in the hands of thieving politicians! With a few exceptions, we cannot trust our politicians to manage anything properly, much less the public “trust funds!”
Can you imagine what would happen to a private trust fund manager/administrator who tried to get away with what our thieving politicians have gotten away with?
We are talking major jail time, aren’t we?
If our thieving politicians are going to steal our money, we ought to force them to steal it out in the open (by eliminating “trust funds”)! Then, we could promptly arrest them, try them, convict them and escort them to the Big House!
And, if I had my way, the FairTax would be modified to eliminate all federal excise taxes. That would to eliminate the huge temptation that money-laden federal trust funds present to thieving politicians!
IMHO, eliminating federal trust funds would set the stage for eliminating local and state trust funds.
Have at it ladies and gentlemen!
Not just New Yorkers - anyone who buys gas in the state - and trucker are SOAKED in toll fees.
One of my sons is a long-hauler. He drives up and down, back and forth the country. He says he can tell,when he crosses a state line, which states are controlled by which party.
Toll booths at every turn and terrible roads - Rat run. Smooth roads and no tolls - Republican run.
I have even, on several occasions, been talking to him while he's rolling (No worry, folks, he has a blue tooth), and I can hear the difference myself. On smooth roads, there is absolutely no background noise - on the bad roads, you can hear the truck getting slammed. More that once I've said, "Just cross the state line into Illinois?"
"Yep"
He says you all but need a kidney belt on the Illinois roads.
IN addition, those are the states with the highest gas prices, by far. He gases up as much as possible in Rep. states before he gets to Rat states.
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