Page 19 - ATR 4 2014 web

What’s ahead for highway

funding?

Trucking industry seeks long-term solution

we Need to be
speNdiNg real
moNey, Not this
fuNNy moNey that
CoNgress has Come
up with to aVoid
makiNg tough

deCisioNs.

—darriN roth,
direCtor of highway
operatioNs, ameriCaN
truCkiNg assoCiatioNs

by steve brawner Transportation Department had already use,” he said. “It’s using 10 years of rev-
Contributing Writer put some projects on hold because of enue to pay for 10 months of funding.
the uncertainty. Not even as a transportation advocate
A Senate vote July 31 to send a bill Funding for the bill came from but just as a citizen, that’s just wrong.
to the president’s desk ensured that increasing customs user fees at ports, We need to be spending real money, not
the Highway Trust Fund will be solvent by transferring money to highways this funny money that Congress has
until May. Then what? from the federal government’s Leaking come up with to avoid making tough
That’s a question highway funding Underground Storage Tanks account, decisions.”
advocates, including those associated and from an accounting maneuver All six members of Arkansas’
with the motor carrier industry, long known as pension smoothing, which congressional delegation voted for the
have been asking themselves and will allowed employers to delay contributing bill – the alternative being an insolvent
continue to ask until Congress finally to pension plans, thereby temporarily Highway Trust Fund.
creates a long-term solution. raising their taxable incomes. Under a The ATA supported an amendment
The latest bill passed by Congress formula, they’ll make up the difference that would have shortened the exten-
in July provided $10.9 billion to shore later, reducing their taxable incomes at sion to December, when ideally a lame
up the fund and came just as it was that point. duck Congress would pass a long-term
nearing insolvency. Had that happened, Darrin Roth, American Trucking funding source with less fear of ret-
states would have been reimbursed Associations (ATA) director of highway ribution from the voters. The Senate
for highway expenses only as money operations, said pension smoothing is a actually did pass that amendment,
became available, paralyzing certain gimmick.
projects. The Arkansas Highway and “There’s no tie to transportation 

ArkAnsAs truckinG rePort | issue 4 2014 19