Opinion
The transportation crisis in North Carolina
Winston-Salem Journal — Comments by state Rep. Nelson Cole, a powerful seven-term Democrat from Reidsville, explain why recurring state problems don’t get fixed in Raleigh – especially transportation problems.
Speaking about North Carolina’s sorry roads and the necessity of raising taxes to fix them, Cole told The Charlotte Observer: “Politically, you can’t ask somebody to stick their neck out and vote for it if their opponent is going to hit them over the head with it. No one likes taxes.”
That’s an incredible statement from the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on transportation, a leader whose job it is to make hard choices.
North Carolina faces a transportation crisis. Like those in much of the rest of the nation, our roads and bridges have grown old without necessary maintenance. Our airports have surpassed capacity, and most mass-transit systems are inadequate.
The state Board of Transportation has identified $122 billion in needs that must be met over the next 25 years. The current revenue stream is projected to raise only $57 billion of that.
Many approaches could cover the $65 billion gap between needs and available money. North Carolina can cut back on what it says it needs in terms of new roads. Some existing revenues can be shifted around within the state’s various funds to direct more to transportation needs. And, who knows, maybe the state will get lucky and someone will come up with a great idea for operating more efficiently.
But, look at the $65 billion gap and consider these facts:
• North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the union, and that means the driving population is growing.
• People are driving more, not less, despite higher gas prices.
• North Carolinians want new roads and fewer traffic jams.
• Education, health-care, law-enforcement, environmental-protection and mental-health needs are also rising. The funds available to be diverted from other parts of the budget aren’t likely to be sizable.
• The costs for road-building and maintenance materials are rising quickly, while current gas-tax revenues will flatten as cars become more fuel efficient.
Simple common sense says that more revenue will be needed.
In the just-completed legislative session, transportation reform got no attention, and that is leading to speculation that a special session might be necessary this year. But a special session will accomplish nothing if, as Cole suggests, legislators are more concerned about their own re-election chances than they are about doing what is necessary for North Carolina’s current and future transportation needs.
As Cole has unintentionally explained, we have elected a legislature more concerned with its own needs than with ours.
- Opinion
-
- No sandwiches for Edgecombe ABC Board
- ‘Get better everyday'
- Stimulus signs may backfire
- Story was a let down
- Everette-Oates ‘trying her best to improve the town’
- Taxes and myths
-
Come meet Ashley Woolard Saturday
The First Congressional District is ready for a change. A change in leadership, a change in priorities, and a change in attitudes.
The last Republican to represent the First District was Walter Pool in 1883. Our stagnant advancement under the direction of the Democrats is evident that a change is needed. We need jobs and we need businesses to provide those jobs.
G. K. Butterfield is our representative in Washington. It is his duty to represent all members of his district. The people who are struggling to take care of their families, support their churches, and expect the government to represent them are ignored. How has Butterfield benefited his constituents?
He voted to destroy the best health care system in the world, and voted for a bill that he had never read that will cost the taxpayers trillions of dollars. He voted to use taxpayer money to perform abortions in the healthcare bill.
He voted for Cap and Trade that will destroy millions of jobs at a time we need them most. This bill will drive more businesses out of the country. He was appointed to the Helsinki Committee to adopt the U. N. Global standards of environmental policies.
He voted for finance reform that will further restrict businesses and make it more difficult to maintain job growth.
Butterfield is loyal to Nancy Pelosi, and she has appointed him to several important committees. One of which is the House Committee of Standards of Official Conduct. t is their job to censor fellow members for misconduct, but when Charles Rangel was examined by the committee for lying about his taxes he gave Butterfield a thousand-dollar donation and the charges went away.
Ashley Woolard is challenging Butterfield for the right to represent the First District. Mr. Woolard is optimistic that he can defeat Butterfield in November. However, he is realistic and realizes that he needs help. He needs volunteers to get his message to every eligible voter, because every vote is important, but above all he needs money. It will take a lot of money to put a Republican in Washington for the first time in 127 years.
I am sure everyone knows who Butterfield is, but how many of you know Ashley Woolard? If you haven’t met this young man, we invite you to join an Ashley Woolard for Congress meet and greet on Saturday, July 31, from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Macclesfield Community Center, N.C. 124 and Fourth Street. This will also be a chance to donate to the campaign and purchase barbequed chicken plates for dinner.
Don Harrell
Macclesfield -
She doesn’t like traps for cats
I live in Tarboro and some of my neighbors have put out traps for cats. These cats have been here since I have lived here.
We have all kinds of animals here running here and they look good here.
I am unhappy about the way people do things.
What can we do about this?
DEBBIE OWENS
Tarboro - Four-way stop or deadly intersection doesn’t make sense
- Computers, trees and decisions
- More Opinion Headlines
