Oklahomans are coming to terms with the decision of this year’s Legislature to slow the amount of motor vehicle funds going to roads and bridges and to substantially raid the existing funds.
It’s a sudden and unexpected pivot because the effort to redirect motor vehicle funds to transportation has been one of the most defining characteristics of the new generation of Oklahoma’s elected officials.
A few months ago, the Washington D.C. based TRIP group released a report which read in part, “A decade ago, Oklahoma had significant road, highway and bridge deterioration and high rates of traffic fatalities. But beginning with legislative action in 2005 and continuing through state legislative action as recent as 2013, Oklahoma has undertaken a sustained commitment to upgrade the condition and efficiency of its roads, highways and bridges and to reduce traffic fatalities by modernizing its highway system.”
Since that legislative action in 2005, funding for roads has been coming from the existing motor vehicle taxes we pay when we purchase or renew car tags. Historically, much of this funding wasn’t used for roads and bridges but was diverted for other purposes. Now, however, a great percentage of this fund goes to transportation.
It’s important to remember that the initial successful effort to redirect motor vehicle funds took place after Oklahoma voters forced their politicians to do the right thing.
In the summer of 2005, Oklahomans were asked to increase gas taxes. They were told that our gas taxes were some of the lowest in the nation, and tax advocates said this was the reason Oklahoma had such bad roads. It was suggested that the only option for improving roads was to take more of our money and give it to government.
On the surface this appeared to be a convincing argument.
But they didn’t highlight the fact that the same government that would get the additional tax money had for years misdirected motor vehicle revenues away from roads. Of course, many of us knew the bad roads were attributable to the government’s failure to properly utilize the money they already collected.
Oklahomans clearly knew this and defeated the proposal 87% to 13%.
Oklahoma’s elected officials responded by directing an ever-growing amount of existing motor vehicle revenues to pave state and county roads and build bridges.
The leaders of the 2005 era responded appropriately and listened to their constituents. That era ended in 2012 with the last of the transportation funding reforms.
Those who have governed since that time have a distinctly anti-transportation record with raids on transportation funding in both the 2015 and 2016 budgets and a bill which officially ends the ongoing effort to channel a great amount of motor vehicle funds away from general government and towards transportation.
Ten years later it is fair for us assume that our state government has forgotten the lesson of 2005 and is preparing to turn back the clock to the irresponsibilities of years past. If they will so quickly pivot on one of the their most defining characteristics, what other key reforms will they also abandon?
More on that next week.
This weekend’s earthquake swarms have taken a tremendous psychological toll on area residents. I know this from reading the emails and texts which started just seconds after the first large quake and have continued until right now. Never hesitate to send them. They give me the ongoing moral standing to ensure your voice is heard.
I am struck by both the intensity of the senders’ emotions coupled with their ever-growing knowledge of the specifics of this problem. People want to know where the area’s injection wells are located and will want to know of possible correlations with the earthquakes. Please know that state officials will be working hard this week to determine correlations and I will request and share this information with you as I am able.
Much has happened since we invited state officials to speak to us at a town hall meeting last June. Perhaps it is time for us to ask them to return for another town hall. If you would be willing to attend, please let me know by emailing Jason.Murphey@hd31.org.
Finally, I have joined with Rep. Cory Williams from Stillwater in requesting a new legislative hearing on this issue. If the hearing is approved it will likely occur this fall.
Thank you for reading this article. Your interest and input are much appreciated. Please do not hesitate to email Jason.Murphey@hd31.org with your thoughts and suggestions.
Mr. Murphey,
I commend you on your continued efforts on the earthquake issue.
However, we are past town hall meetings. We want action. I’m to the point of engaging in civil disobedience if necessary.
I was talking to OCC member Matt Skinner as the second of the strong earthquakes hit this afternoon, and as I type this, I just felt another smaller quake.
THIS SITUATION IS INTOLERABLE!