I heard a funny comment in debate the other day. An otherwise intelligent person said they prefer "free" roads over those paid for and maintained through user fees (i.e. the dreaded toll). First I stifled my laugh at the ridiculous nature of this comment, then, I pondered how frighteningly common it is for folks to assume that anything they aren't paying for right now, with cash, is somehow "free." There are no "free" roads.
It costs a lot of money to build a highway. It costs a lot of money to maintain that same highway to keep it safe for travel. That money will come to the builders and maintainers of the roadways in one of two ways. Either the money will be taken from you in the form of widespread taxation, or it will be collected from you locally when you use the road. The obvious difference is that in the second case, the person actually benefiting from the road is going to fork out the cash (yes, including winter visitors).
In Arizona, we were already struggling just to maintain our roadways with our current funding streams (read: taxes that you already pay) and that was before recession. The idea of being able to pay for enough new roadways to keep up with the growth in population is so far out in fantasy thought that few even seem to want to think about it, much less collaborate and talk about it.
The question is... How do we want to pay for them and who should decide where they go and what incentive should there be to plan, build, and maintain roads well? Ok, to be fair, that is really several questions. But one answer that has become fashionable is to allow private companies to figure it out and compete for our business as savvy driving shoppers. Roads built privately will pop up where they are needed most (that is called "demand") and will be the most pleasant to drive on (that is called "competitive advantage"). In order to attract us to cough up our 75 cents, the private road will have to give us a smooth, fast, safe driving experience that we consider to be a good value.
And, remember, there are no "free" roads.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, January 07, 2008
Celebrate the $1 Billion Deficit
Celebrate the $1 Billion Deficit
Weird headline, I know. But, for folks that prefer a smaller government with less wasteful spending, there is cause for celebration during these lean times.
The fact is that government will spend whatever you give it. Government officials will routinely spend any extra tax revenues they receive and will commit tomorrow’s “anticipated” extra money, as well. You see, today’s swell new government programs (read: pork projects) are tomorrow’s entitlements. Once that happens, your taxes have to increase to pay for them if there is a slight glitch in the economy that drives down our tax revenue receipts. Or, conversely, some of them have to be cut to prevent such an increase in your tax rates.
It’s very simple really. We are required, as your state government, to produce a balanced budget. It is in our state constitution. It is not an arguable point. There are two ways to balance a budget: reduce spending or increase revenues. (Remember that “increasing revenues” is fancy government talk for pulling more money out of your pocket. After all, the state government does not earn or print money.)
So what does this have to do with celebrating a deficit? Simply put, the deficit has created an opportunity to spend some time exploring our books for waste. We get to clear out pork projects that were the darlings of governors and legislators (both past and present).
Thankfully, I never promised my voters pork. I promised them I’d fight the ever-growing size of government, spending only on those essential state government efforts like infrastructure and public safety, for instance. I also promised them I wouldn’t raise their taxes... I even signed a “no new tax pledge” to punctuate the point.
So, don’t expect my suggestions for balancing our budget to include taking even more of your money. I also won’t be cheering for the Governor’s plan to take out more loans or just “charge it,” as they say, so we can continue to live beyond our means. Rather, I will be suggesting we cut some fat, pull the plug on “one time only expenditures” that have been rolling over on the books for years, get back to basics on what government’s proper role is here, and tap into that “Rainy Day” fund we have been storing up for just a day such as this.
Essentially, we will get to sit around in small groups brainstorming on ways to cut government spending instead of the normal nauseating disputes about how to spend more. Yippee! Now, where’s my party hat?
Weird headline, I know. But, for folks that prefer a smaller government with less wasteful spending, there is cause for celebration during these lean times.
The fact is that government will spend whatever you give it. Government officials will routinely spend any extra tax revenues they receive and will commit tomorrow’s “anticipated” extra money, as well. You see, today’s swell new government programs (read: pork projects) are tomorrow’s entitlements. Once that happens, your taxes have to increase to pay for them if there is a slight glitch in the economy that drives down our tax revenue receipts. Or, conversely, some of them have to be cut to prevent such an increase in your tax rates.
It’s very simple really. We are required, as your state government, to produce a balanced budget. It is in our state constitution. It is not an arguable point. There are two ways to balance a budget: reduce spending or increase revenues. (Remember that “increasing revenues” is fancy government talk for pulling more money out of your pocket. After all, the state government does not earn or print money.)
So what does this have to do with celebrating a deficit? Simply put, the deficit has created an opportunity to spend some time exploring our books for waste. We get to clear out pork projects that were the darlings of governors and legislators (both past and present).
Thankfully, I never promised my voters pork. I promised them I’d fight the ever-growing size of government, spending only on those essential state government efforts like infrastructure and public safety, for instance. I also promised them I wouldn’t raise their taxes... I even signed a “no new tax pledge” to punctuate the point.
So, don’t expect my suggestions for balancing our budget to include taking even more of your money. I also won’t be cheering for the Governor’s plan to take out more loans or just “charge it,” as they say, so we can continue to live beyond our means. Rather, I will be suggesting we cut some fat, pull the plug on “one time only expenditures” that have been rolling over on the books for years, get back to basics on what government’s proper role is here, and tap into that “Rainy Day” fund we have been storing up for just a day such as this.
Essentially, we will get to sit around in small groups brainstorming on ways to cut government spending instead of the normal nauseating disputes about how to spend more. Yippee! Now, where’s my party hat?
I-17 widening north of Loop 101 set to begin early 2008
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact the I-17 hotline:
480.890.3055
I-17 widening north of Loop 101 set to begin early 2008
January 7, 2008
The first of two widening projects to double the number of lanes on Interstate 17 north of Loop 101 in the North Valley is set to begin in early 2008, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).
The project, which will add a new general-purpose lane and a carpool lane in each direction on I-17 from Loop 101 to Jomax Road, is expected to begin by early spring.
On Dec. 21, the State Transportation Board awarded a $67.8 million contract to Meadow Valley Contractors, Inc. of Phoenix to construct the 4.5-mile widening project. The contract also includes the reconstruction of the existing interchange at Deer Valley Road to improve traffic flow and accommodate the new lanes on I-17.
A second widening project, which will also add two lanes in each direction from Jomax Road to Carefree Highway, is expected to begin spring 2008. This project will include a new interchange at Lone Mountain Road, which will serve as a temporary connection between I-17 and Loop 303 when it is extended to I-17 in 2011. A separate project to construct a new interchange at Dove Valley Parkway is scheduled to begin fall 2008 to coincide with the widening project.
The two I-17 widening projects to Carefree Highway are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009. A third widening project from Carefree Highway to Anthem Way, which will add a general-purpose lane in each direction, is scheduled to begin in 2009 and be completed in 2010.
This scheduled work is in addition to ongoing interchange projects on I-17 that are currently under construction, including new interchanges at Jomax Road and Dixileta Drive and reconstruction of the traffic interchange at Carefree Highway. These projects are on schedule to be completed in 2008.
The improvement projects on I-17 are included in the voter-approved Regional Transportation Plan, a comprehensive program of Valleywide transportation improvements through 2025.
As with the current projects, ADOT says it plans to keep two lanes of traffic open in each direction during peak travel periods and schedule any temporary freeway closures during overnight hours. Drivers can visit ADOT’s Interstate 17 North Web page at www.azdot.gov/ValleyFreeways for the times and locations of planned restrictions and closures on I-17, and to sign up for ADOT’s I-17 weekly e-mail traffic alert.
For general information about I-17 improvements, contact the I-17 project hotline at 480.890.3055 or projectupdate@lewin-associates.com.
For a complete listing of freeway and highway restrictions across Arizona, visit ADOT's Travel Information Site at www.az511.com or call 5-1-1.
We encourage you to forward this information to others by clicking on the Forward e-mail link below
Forward email
For more information, contact the I-17 hotline:
480.890.3055
I-17 widening north of Loop 101 set to begin early 2008
January 7, 2008
The first of two widening projects to double the number of lanes on Interstate 17 north of Loop 101 in the North Valley is set to begin in early 2008, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).
The project, which will add a new general-purpose lane and a carpool lane in each direction on I-17 from Loop 101 to Jomax Road, is expected to begin by early spring.
On Dec. 21, the State Transportation Board awarded a $67.8 million contract to Meadow Valley Contractors, Inc. of Phoenix to construct the 4.5-mile widening project. The contract also includes the reconstruction of the existing interchange at Deer Valley Road to improve traffic flow and accommodate the new lanes on I-17.
A second widening project, which will also add two lanes in each direction from Jomax Road to Carefree Highway, is expected to begin spring 2008. This project will include a new interchange at Lone Mountain Road, which will serve as a temporary connection between I-17 and Loop 303 when it is extended to I-17 in 2011. A separate project to construct a new interchange at Dove Valley Parkway is scheduled to begin fall 2008 to coincide with the widening project.
The two I-17 widening projects to Carefree Highway are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009. A third widening project from Carefree Highway to Anthem Way, which will add a general-purpose lane in each direction, is scheduled to begin in 2009 and be completed in 2010.
This scheduled work is in addition to ongoing interchange projects on I-17 that are currently under construction, including new interchanges at Jomax Road and Dixileta Drive and reconstruction of the traffic interchange at Carefree Highway. These projects are on schedule to be completed in 2008.
The improvement projects on I-17 are included in the voter-approved Regional Transportation Plan, a comprehensive program of Valleywide transportation improvements through 2025.
As with the current projects, ADOT says it plans to keep two lanes of traffic open in each direction during peak travel periods and schedule any temporary freeway closures during overnight hours. Drivers can visit ADOT’s Interstate 17 North Web page at www.azdot.gov/ValleyFreeways
For general information about I-17 improvements, contact the I-17 project hotline at 480.890.3055 or projectupdate@lewin-associates.com.
For a complete listing of freeway and highway restrictions across Arizona, visit ADOT's Travel Information Site at www.az511.com
We encourage you to forward this information to others by clicking on the Forward e-mail link below
Forward email
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