McCaskill, Blunt call for transportation reforms

Second in a six-part, weekly series examining key issues in the Missouri governor's race.

By Marc Powers

Nevada Daily Mail

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Reform of the leadership structure of the Missouri Department of Transportation and improved accountability over the use of existing road revenue will be needed before voters can be asked to consider higher taxes for transportation, the two major party candidates for governor say.

As a key first step, State Auditor Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, and Secretary of State Matt Blunt, a Republican, both support voter ratification of Amendment 3 on Nov. 2, the same day Missourians will pick their next governor.

Amendment 3 would eventually provide an estimated $130 million a year for transportation by redirecting proceeds from motor vehicle sales taxes that currently support the general state budget.

The proposal would restrict the so-called diversion of highway user fees to other state agencies, in effect annually adding another $30 million in existing state money to the transportation fund.

MoDOT officials have long maintained the agency needs more than $1 billion a year in new revenue to provide the improvements Missourians demand. Blunt says the department will first have to show it can be trusted.

"I think it premature to have that discussion until we have made some changes and proven we wisely spend transportation funds," Blunt said.

"Then, and only then, can we have a revenue discussion." Mistrust of MoDOT was widely cited in the overwhelming ballot-box defeat of a nearly $500 million transportation tax package in 2002. McCaskill also says it's too soon to broach the subject of new taxes.

"Ultimately, that's a discussion for voters to have," McCaskill said.

"Right now, they are not going to give MoDOT more money, and I don't think they should." In the near term, McCaskill endorses selling bonds to finance additional construction. The bulk of the funds raised by Amendment 3 would be dedicated for that purpose.

As auditor, McCaskill has issued numerous reports highlighting what she sees as wasteful spending at MoDOT. She pledges to institute the recommendations from those audits as governor.

Among her suggestions is placing tighter controls on the purchase of land for future construction projects to ensure MoDOT only buys the property it needs.

"They a buying tens of millions of dollars worth of property for right of way," McCaskill said. "We put out in our audit that they didn't always know what they owned." Blunt also endorses more oversight on how MoDOT expends public funds.

Although MoDOT is governed by the independent, six-member State Highways and Transportation Commission, Blunt says that as governor he would assume personal responsibility for improving the system.

To further that end, Blunt proposes making MoDOT's director a gubernatorial appointee who reports to the governor. The director currently is hired by the commission and serves at its pleasure.

Outgoing Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat, floated similar proposals in recent years, but the Republican-led General Assembly took no action.

While Holden's plan called for reducing the commission to a mere advisory body, Blunt says the commission should retain its independence to set construction priorities that are free from executive and legislative meddling.

"I do believe we should continue to allow the commission to determine what projects are funded," Blunt said. "It is important to insulate them from the political process." Blunt also proposes expanding the commission by two members -- one representing air travel and mass transit and the other focusing on freight and river transit issues. The specialized commissioners are needed to better emphasize the need for a multimodal transportation system, Blunt says.

McCaskill also supports having MoDOT's director appointed by the governor. While Blunt claims she backs Holden's plan to strip the commission of its power, McCaskill disputes that and says the commission should retain the final say on project selection.

Her only difference with Blunt on reorganizing MoDOT's management structure, she says, is that she opposes adding new commissioners.

"I'm not a really big fan of making government bigger," McCaskill said.

"I believe in smaller government."

Next week: Civil litigation reform