MONTPELIER, Vt. -
Many Vermont law makers want to tax gasoline. It would increase a gallon by seven cents.
The 20-million it's expected to generate is supposed to go toward road and bridge improvements.
Just last night, I explained the bill, then one of our viewers asked us to investigate the budget and see if all of the money is going where it's intended. I took a look at the past ten years.
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Every year, the Vermont transportation budget is about 600-million dollars... more than half of that goes toward infrastructure.
"Roads, bridges, culverts," The Chair of the Transportation Committee, State Representative Patrick Brennan said.
I sat down with Representative Brennan Friday and looked at where money is spent. A viewer asked me to make sure the transportation budget only goes toward related projects. We did the math and the numbers say yes.
"At one point we were 33 percent of our roads in Vermont were in very poor condition, we're now down to 23, so that's a huge step in the right direction," Rep. Brennan said.
90 million goes toward public transit and aviation. 93 million, town highway aid programs, 48 million administrative costs and 25 million goes to the DMV. And that's actually where the majority of the money is generated... DMV fees. And if passed, a gas tax not too many people are happy about would bring in millions more.
"A lot of the same calls we get chastising us about seeking new revenue come from the people who crab about their roads," Rep. Brennan said.
After personally looking over year's worth of budgets, I did find that a million dollars goes to Fish and Wildlife, but for transportation related issues, like snowmobile and ATV enforcement. Also, two percent of the car sales tax goes toward education. But in 2007, it was actually the transportation committee that needed money from the general fund.
Representative Brennan challenges anyone who doubts where the money's being spent to participate in the process. He says it's an open and transparent statehouse and anyone is welcome in any of the rooms at any time.
Big projects like Tropical Storm Irene clean up, the Champlain Bridge and re-paving roads are a burden on taxpayers, but are a safety concern if left undone.
"It's about a million dollars a mile, and it should be good for about ten years," Rep. Brennan said. Therefore being a never ending cycle.
