February 11, 2015

Zawistowski Promotes Long-Term Transportation Funding Plan

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Tami Zawistowski this week joined House and Senate Republicans in rolling out a plan to create a predictable and sustainable funding stream for state transportation projects.

The funding plan, branded “Prioritize Progress,” was unveiled during a Tuesday afternoon news conference at the state Capitol. A stable funding plan, Zawistowski said, would pave the way to create a safe, reliable and multi-modal transportation network that includes improved roads, bridges, rail lines, bus services and ports.

“Whether driving along a major highway through Fairfield County or over small bridge in rural north central Connecticut, you’ll undoubtedly see the effects of decades of transportation policy that’s relied upon unpredictable and unreliable funding sources,” said Zawistowski, a member of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. “Our goal is to not only provide the men and women charged with re-building our infrastructure with an assurance that the money will be there, but to also give residents a pledge that will live within our means while doing it.”

The “Prioritize Progress” plan involves (1) establishing a predictable and sustainable funding stream for transportation totaling at least $1 billion every year for the next 30 years, and (2) reinstituting the Transportation Strategy Board to aid the Connecticut Department of Transportation in identifying community needs and prioritizing safety improvements.

Benefits of the plan include:
• An annual transportation funding mechanism guaranteeing at least $1 billion annually over the next 30 years
• No tax increases
• No tolls
• A reduction in the current level of state bonding
• Flexibility in setting transportation priorities
• A sustainable and predictable funding plan to support future generations

Key components of the plan would require the state to:
• Reserve a set amount of General Obligation Bonds to be used solely for transportation priorities.
• Preserve current Special Tax Obligation bonds dedicated to transportation.
• Fill all vacant positions at the Department of Transportation to ensure that the agency can efficiently carry out the state’s needed transportation projects. As of January 1, the DOT is 114 positions below where they were 6 months previously.
• Re-establish the Transportation Strategy Board (TSB) to work alongside CTDOT to assess proposed projects, identify community needs.