Talkin' Transportation: MoDOT shares its monies with other agencies

Henry Hungerbeeler is Missouri Department of Transportation director.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is responsible for building and maintaining the states 32,000-mile state highway system (the nations seventh largest) and providing other transportation opportunities for Missourians. But it takes money to do that, and Im often asked, Why dont you have enough money to take care of our highways?

Missouri ranks 43rd in the state and federal revenue per mile it receives to take care of our highway system. If youre like most people, you probably think all the highway user fees you pay, like fuel taxes and vehicle license fees, come to MoDOT, and that should be enough, right?

The reality is that only about 63 cents of each state highway user dollar actually comes to MoDOT.

Wheres the other 37 percent going? To cities, counties and other state agencies.

Missouris road and bridge programs have traditionally been financed through user fees. In fiscal year 2002 (July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002), Missouri highway users paid nearly $1.2 billion in taxes, licenses and fees dedicated for state roads and bridges. Those state taxes and fees included the 17-cent-per-gallon motor fuel tax, one half of the state sales and use taxes on vehicles, and state fees to license vehicles and operators.

State law requires that some of the money go to city and county governments (about 21.4 percent), as well as other state agencies (about 15.4 percent). Those agencies include the Department of Revenue, the Office of Administration, the state auditor and the state treasurer. In fiscal year 2002, the average Missouri driver paid $301 in state fuel tax, vehicle sales and use taxes, and license and registration fees for vehicles and operators. Only $190, or 63 percent, was spent on state highway improvements, and thats not even enough to pay for installation of a stop sign on a breakaway post ($240).

We dont question the legality of this funding going elsewhere, though the state auditor and others have. Nor do I question that those other agencies need funds. But the people of Missouri think highway funds are being spent on highways, and expect it to be spent on highways. And with Missouris highways deteriorating rapidly (a national study ranks Missouris roads the nations third-worst and its bridges the second-worst), we need every highway dollar we are entitled to receive.

MoDOT must make the best use of the funding available to it in order to build and maintain safe highways.

Spending state highway user fees on the state highway system also helps MoDOT and other state and local government agencies build public trust, which is an important commodity these days. MoDOT is doing its best to provide Missourians with a safe and efficient transportation system, but thats difficult to do when we dont receive all the highway user revenue people believe we get. And the amount we get is far too small to do the job taxpayers expect.

If you have questions about why MoDOT does something, we will gladly get answers for you. Send me an e-mail and Ill get back to you, and your question just might be the topic of a future column.

More information about MoDOT is available at www.MoDOT.org or by calling toll-free 888-275-6636.