Burning Those Stimulus Dollars
Posted by Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine Editor
My kids got $5 each from their grandparents for Valentine’s Day. And like most kids, that money started burning a hole in their pocket as soon as they got it. They went to bed that night with dreams of what they would spend the money on like they’d just hit the lottery. This week President Obama signed the stimulus bill into law authorizing billions of dollars for transit and already it’s burning a hole in pockets of transit agencies across the nation.
I know most agencies are starved for funds, but really, I’ve seen stories all week about what this agency or that one will do with its stimulus dollars. Has it come down to the point where federal funding is treated like an allowance or worse yet, a reward transit agencies get if they’re “good�
Just increase your ridership by more than 7 percent this year and there will be a little something extra in the next funding bill for you!
Come on. This continues the history of mass transit being the red-headed stepchild of federal transportation funding. You know what; transit’s followed the rules, ate its vegetables and is doing its homework when it comes to moving people in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound fashion. Transit should be pushed to the forefront of infrastructure spending.
And thankfully it looks like that may happen. The increase in funding for high-speed rail seems to have come as a request from the White House itself. The president and vice president both know the value of rail and look to be pushing that ideal out to Congress. But now is the time for transit agencies to prove that they are fiscally responsible as well.
I would hate for us to sit here at this time next year and be asking where did that $8 billion for rail go in much the same way people are currently asking banks where their federal funds went.
As I said last week, check out Mass Transit’s new Top 40 Under 40 promotion on our Web site. We’re looking to recognize transit’s best and brightest under the age of 40 in an upcoming issue. We’ve received quite a few good responses, but I know there are more talented people out there. I also know that it’s hard for some of the bigger agencies to focus on something like this with everything they’ve got going on, but I’m sure they’ve got some of transit’s best and brightest working for them, too.
Take a few minutes and fill out the nomination form for one of your colleagues or yourself!
Thanks for reading the MT Position updated every Friday,
Fred
fred.jandt@cygnusb2b.com
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February 20th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I agree Fred. Transit cannot afford to be identified with so called pork barrel big spenders. Every dime received should be applied to projects a customer could appreciate and recognize the benefit. New, more fuel efficient buses, parking facilities, rail projects, dedicated lanes, improved communication and security systems are examples of projects most customers can relate to. I hope we as an industry can demonstrate good use of the stimulus money though careful planning, proper execution and accountability.
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Since everyone’s in the mood to invest in infrastructure, I’d like to see some permanent long-term funding. I hope the momentum from this exciting stimulus package leads to some real, long-term improvements in every government budget. Remember, transit has been asking for long-term funding, not a one-time check. We must push for permanent, dedicated funding for transit operations on every level. Otherwise transit will be under-funded again when the stimulus money disappears.