Jul 29, 2008 12:50 pm US/Eastern
Money For Road Repairs Drying Up
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Storrow Drive Tunnel (file photo)
CBS
Fewer drivers means fewer people are buying gas - and that's not helping Massachusetts fix its roads.
According to the Department of Revenue,
gas tax collections in the state in June were down 2.4 percent from June 2007. That's roughly $1.5 million in lost revenue that will not be going toward bridge and road repairs in Massachusetts.
"If that trend continues, the state would lose roughly $18 million in state gas tax revenues, $12 million in Turnpike tolls – and a federal highway fund that's running out of money," Andy Bagley of the Mass. Taxpayers Association told WBZ.
Luisa Paiewonsky, commissioner of the state Highway Department, said it's too early to tell if this will be a long term problem, because drivers may be changing their habits temporarily due to high gas prices.
"There is a very strong state consensus in Massachusetts that transportation is so important you can't allow it to have a funding shortfall," she told WBZ.
"So, while we are monitoring the gas tax revenue very carefully… we believe the funding will be there to support a strong road and bridge program."
According to the
U.S. Department of Transportation, travel on roads and streets nationwide dropped 3.7 percent in May 2008 compared to May 2007. In Massachusetts, the drop was 3.9 percent.
The Legislature is currently considering two bills that would give Gov. Deval Patrick the authority to borrow up to $3 billion for road and bridge repairs, with the bonds to be repaid by future gas tax receipts.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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