Proposition B Special Report: Legislators

One thing is for certain: without a well-defined transportation system, life as we know it here in the Ozarks would be drastically different. Without access to east-west and north-south highway systems, Springfield, Branson and other southwest Missouri towns would not be experiencing the phenomenal growth we see today, nor would we see the accompanying growth in construction and in the business community.

There is no question that mobility means freedom, but it also means opportunity. And it's an issue that affects every one of us from the family vacation to the groceries we put on our table. Transportation gets us to work each day and brings customers to our door.

But there is no doubt that Missouri's transportation system has fallen into disrepair. A recently released national survey rated Missouri's highway system as the third worst in the nation. Failure to address this problem will ultimately come at a tremendous price in terms of lost economic opportunities and a toll in lost lives.

From the American National Fish & Wildlife Museum Wonders of Wildlife to the recently announced state support of the Exposition Center in Springfield, the state has invested a great deal to bolster the Ozarks economy, bring in new dollars via tourists and the retail trade. But without the transportation infrastructure to bring visitors to our part of the state, it is unlikely that we will have the ability to take advantage of all we have to offer.

Noting the importance of transportation to our state's development, this year the Missouri General Assembly advanced Senate Bill 915, a comprehensive transportation funding package.

The proposal approved by the House and Senate will give voters a chance to decide if they want to increase the state's fuel tax by 4 cents and sales tax by one-half of a percent for the purpose of rebuilding and improving our transportation system. The package would raise approximately $483 million a year and will be on the ballot for the Aug. 6 primary election.

When states adjacent to the Ozark region are already spending more on their roads, bridges, and airports than Missouri, there is a very real threat they could easily steal the economy we have worked so hard to build. Missouri has the seventh largest state-maintained highway system in the nation but ranks 45th in the amount of revenue we receive per highway mile.

The people of Missouri deserve the opportunity to have their voices heard on their commitment to transportation. The residents and business community in the Ozarks region deserves the opportunity to see its economy continue to grow. At current funding levels, the state transportation department is struggling just to keep routine maintenance at a reasonable level and is falling behind in addressing the needs for new construction.

Southwest Missouri is one of the fastest-growing regions in the Midwest. This provides a tremendous economic opportunity for us, but only if we have the infrastructure to capitalize on our fortunate geography.

The plan before voters is a total transportation plan a statewide plan that is fair and balances the needs of our Ozarks roads and rural highways with the uniquely different needs of urban areas. That way, we can see our state continue to grow and prosper as a whole.

Voters have the option to either approve the plan or send us back to the drawing board. You deserve the opportunity to determine the future of Greene, Webster and Christian counties and beyond. Without a doubt, a well-developed transportation system will play a big part of our future.

(Democrat Jim Kreider is Speaker of the Missouri House of Represen-tatives. He represents the 142nd District.)