Federal highway funding crisis will hurt states, lawmakers told

[unhappycamper]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/25/203253/federal-highway-funding-crisis.html

Federal highway funding crisis will hurt states, lawmakers told
By Curtis Tate | McClatchy Washington Bureau
Posted on Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WASHINGTON — The federal highway trust fund will run out of money by 2015, which will have a “devastating impact” in states that rely heavily on federal funds for their road maintenance and construction needs, transportation officials told lawmakers Wednesday.

To preserve the fund, road builders and engineers, state transportation officials and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are pleading with Congress to raise the federal gasoline tax for the first time in 20 years.

Transportation funding had brought Democrats and Republicans together in the past, but the parties are now deeply divided over fiscal policy, including increases to taxes that fund infrastructure.

If Congress doesn’t act, some warned, states will feel the pain.



unhappycamper comment: And the reason for this 'crisis':



Transportation: 3%
Military: 57%

[liberal N proud]

1. The Pac Man budget

The military is resembling Pac Man




57fucking percent to blow shit up!

while we only spend 6% on education. American exceptionalism my ass!

[Nihil]

2. It would an interesting exercise ...

... to plot the budgets of nominally third world countries (e.g., the ever-popular
"banana republics" or "dictatorships supported by the military&quot in the same
way and see how they look in comparison ...