BUDDY CAN YOU SPARE A DIME

ROAD AND BRIDGE FUNDING

CHANGES

Since then, we have far more roads to maintain. That alone has eroded what VDOT can accomplish. Additionally, hybrid and electric cars will further erode those funds.

This leaves the state with dwindling resources to maintain these assets. Over the last decade, the sales tax on most everything was increased by a half cent to balance the needs for that maintenance. Additionally, direct gasoline taxes were raised and registrations were increased, particularly for the most efficient vehicles.

CURRENT SITUATION

These changes are still failing us, particularly for our bridges. Many are over a hundred years old. They were not built to handle trucks with heavy loads. VDOT, to their credit, has done things to deal with this problem. In some cases, they have made bridges one way, in other situations they have limited weights. Neither is a long-term solution.

ONE TRILLION DOLLARS

The problem is true in most other states. Therefore, President Biden was able to push through what he calls ‘his 1.2 trillion-dollar infrastructure bill’ in 2021 while little has been sent to states to date. When he brags about the legislation, he refers to our need to replace bridges. However, that is not the case. When most people hear “infrastructure,” they think of roads, bridges, tunnels, and so on. But the Biden administration’s definition of the term is extremely flexible.

CONSIDER HIS PRIORITIES:

$175 Billion in subsidies for electric vehicles.

$213 Billion to build/retrofit 2 million houses & buildings.

$100 Billion for new schools and funds are earmarked to improve school kitchens, to better prepare nutritious meals for our students and go green by reducing paper plates and other disposable materials.

$100 Billion to expand broadband internet. Virginia’s share is $1.5 billion.

$40 billion for public housing.

$25 billion for government childcare programs pushing out private providers in ‘high need areas’ which means nothing for rural areas.

$20 Billion to ‘Advance Racial Equity and Environmental Justice’.

$12 Billion for community colleges. What this has to do with infrastructure is not explained.

$10 Billion to create a ‘Civilian Climate Corp’. This would hire a ‘diverse generation’ to protect the environment.

And finally, $115 billion to “modernize the bridges, highways, roads, and main streets that are in most critical need of repair. This represents ten percent of the total despite his bragging. Virginia’s share will probably be between $1 and 1.5 billion.

Currently, local governments are preparing proposals on how they can receive a portion. To be considered, the localities are expected to provide half for the project to be approved. Therefore, a walking bridge to Washington D.C. would be rated higher than our bridges because our localities will not have the funds for the match.

Our chance of getting any spare change for our bridges is questionable.

A new retiree greeter at Wal-Mart just couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, or 15 minutes late. But, he was a good worker, real sharp, so the boss was in a quandary about how to deal with it.

 Finally, one day he called him into his office for a talk. “Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, and you do a bang-up job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome.”

“Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it,” replied Charley.

 “Well good – that’s what I like to hear. It’s odd though, your coming in late. I know you’re retired from the Navy. What did they say if you came in late?”



“They said, ‘Good morning, Admiral!’”