According to an article in The Macon Telegraph, the Federal Highway Administration has asked Georgia to identify road and bridge projects that could be started within 6 months of any Congressional economic stimulus package being passed.

So far, Georgia has identified over $2,000,000,000 worth of projects that they hope will qualify for any such federal funds, but with a requrirement of 10 to 20 percent of state matching funds, the state may have a hard time, given it's current overall $1,600,000,000 shortfall. The article mentions that Georgia's congressional delegation may seek a waiver of the matching funds requirement, but perhaps Governor Perdue's proposal to seek bonds could help them get the $200,000,000 to $400,000,000 necessary.

Since federal law requires that funding be evenly distributed among all congressional districts and that both urban and rural areas get their fair share, the bonds could help supplement the federal monies received, thus potentially everyone in Georgia could possibly be satisfied. Even so, I still believe that the money is best spent on improvements and maintenance of existing road and bridge infrastructure, as opposed to widening or building new roads with the "Field of Dreams" mentality (build it and they will come).

For future federal help, I hope that Georgia would look to build the proposed I-75 exit in the Third Army Road vicinity near Acworth with a federal-state fund match instead of with tolls. If the federal government could provide at least 80 percent of the estimated $80,000,000 in construction costs and Georgia matches the remaining 20 percent, then I don't see why commuters should be forced to pay tolls for being able to get to their destinations faster.

If the federal government does pass an economic stimulus package that can help Georgia deal with its transportation maintenance and improvements,  then I believe that Georgia and the rest of the nation should let everyone reap the benefits of the improvement without imposing a toll. After all, the money comes from the taxpayers in the first place, and we, as taxpayers, have the right to benefit accordingly.

As for taxes themselves, my philosophy has always been that regardless of how much we pay in taxes, our government has an obligation to use them in ways that will benefit all taxpayers across all socioeconomic lines. When it  comes to spending our own household money, my wife and I have the categories of "nice to have" (luxury items) and "need to have" (house, food, utilities, etc.). I wish all politicians, regardless of party, would think that way.

To you, my dear readers, please keep in mind that through the ballot box, we, the people, can and should hold them responsble for "promoting the general welfare" of all Americans as per the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please come back again.

 

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