Blue Ribbon Committe on Highway Finance – November 18, 2009
Posted on November 18th, 2009
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Location: Room 149, State Capitol
Committee Information: Members on Committee
Agenda
1:30 pm – Meeting called to order by Chairman Capps. The previous meeting minutes approved.
1:35 pm – There is currently a roundtable discussion about the needs of the Highway Department. Many comments about how the public needs to be educated on where road revenue comes form. Mr. Mark Lambeth suggested town hall meetings. Rep. John Lowery joked that if they were going to have townhall meetings, then he would like to submit his resignation right now.
1:37 pm – The comment was made that people feel like they are already taxed to death and think that their taxes already go to roads. The committee members seem to recognize this, but they seem to fail to see that the public doesn’t want a new tax or a new method to raise funds. THEY WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO RE-PRIORITIZE HOW THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND HOW FAIRLY THOSE HIGHWAY FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED.
1:41 pm – Former Rep. Johnnie Bolin is making a emotional argument for spending on our highways. I think he is right that our highway funding should recieve a higher priority from the current revenues that the most highly taxed state in the region currently extracts from its citizens.
1:43 pm – There does not seem to be a representative of the people speaking up for their right to expect their overall tax dollars to be spend according to their priorities. All discussions center on how the taxpayer may be convinced to allow the government to extract more of their hard earned dollars.
1:45 pm – Chairman Capps asked if we could handle getting this plan in place by ourselves or if we should hire and outside contractor to assist us in solving the problem.
1:47 pm – There is a discussion about if they should have meetings during December. It was decided that the subcommittee meetings continue.
1:49 pm – Mr. Jim McKenzie has asked that the New Revenue subcommittee meet at 10 am on December 18th.
1:51 pm – Commitee Adjourned.
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