Highway money goes for social spending


All the states are doing it
Don't you find it odd that when the states are hurting for money, the first things that goes on the chopping block are essential services?

Politcos love playing the shell game with your money. Case in point.

According to the latest figures from the Federal Highway Administration, motorists gave state and local government $40.3 billion in 2005 for the ability to drive and own a vehicle. Gasoline taxes accounted for $20.5 billion in revenue while registration fees and miscellaneous taxes generated $13.5 billion. State and local toll roads also collected $6.4 billion from motorists.

After accounting for administration and overhead, $28.5 billion remained for all fifty states to spend in 2005. Of this amount, only $13 billion was spent on state and local road construction and maintenance.

A total of $8.9 billion of motorists' money was diverted into unrelated uses. A total of $1.4 billion went to mass transit and $7.5 billion was used for social spending. The remaining amount went to related uses such as paying down transportation debt and funding highway law enforcement.

Social spending? I don't remember authorizing that. Do you?

I remember when they proposed an Arizona Lottery. The voters were told that the money would go to roads and schools. What the voters weren't told is that if the Lottery passed, an amount equal to the Lottery contribution would be shifted out of the education and highway budget and shifted back into the general fund. It wasn't extra for roads and schools, it was replacement money for roads and schools.

In other words, a tax.

But that isn't how it was sold.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Thu - January 8, 2009 at 06:29 AM  Tag


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