2011 Senate Bill 1131 and House Bill 1531 (Relating to highways and bridges)
News Release from www.HawaiiVotes.org
Bills that address road and bridge upgrades not yet scheduled for hearings.
In a time when the state is looking for money in every way it can to balance its budget, ignoring a huge need in the Department of Transportation’s funding seems to be an easier route.
The DOT has a bill in both the Senate (SB1131) and House (HB1531) that calls for $4 billion for a 6-year plan to provide safer and well maintained roads and bridges statewide. This is a far cry from the current $250 million funding per year the department gets to pay for the $7 billion in infrastructure and program needs it says currently exist.
On the one hand, it may be lucky for the taxpayers if these bills don’t get a hearing because of all the increases in so many fees the bills require to fix the neglected infrastructure. But how lucky will the citizens of Hawaii remain if nothing is done to make sure they can safely and easily get to where they need to go? Is there no one in the Legislature or state administration willing to shrink government and concentrate instead on taking care of the basic needs of the residents?
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