Sen. McKinney Challenges Governor’s Transportation Assertions

Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney today challenged Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s statement that his administration has “put more state money into transportation than we ever have before” while highlighting the governor’s gas tax hike and repeated raids on funding for Connecticut’s roads and bridges.

Gov. Malloy today spoke about funds passed by the State Bond Commission for the Department of Transportation’s annual transportation allocation, describing the funding as a “milestone” and stating that his administration has “put more state money into transportation than we ever have before.”

“First, this governor is no different than any other governor in funding transportation programs on an annual basis. This funding happens every year. In no way is it a ‘milestone.’

“Second, this governor has signed budgets which reduce funding to the state’s Special Transportation Fund by $187.3 million. That’s money which could be going to fix our roads and bridges. Instead, it is being raided to balance the state budget.”

“Third, your gas taxes just went up, thanks to Gov. Malloy. More than 17,000 taxpayers signed our petition to block the July 1 gas tax hike, but the governor allowed the hike to take place anyway. That gas tax hike you are now paying at the pump is not going toward road and bridge projects. It’s going toward balancing a budget which hikes spending by nearly 10 percent.”

As far as the governor’s “more state money into transportation than we ever have before” claim, Sen. McKinney noted:

• Governor M. Jodi Rell allocated the most Special Tax Obligation Bonds with a total of $3.6 billion. Governor Malloy now totals $2.4 billion.
• Governor William A. O’Neill also allocated more STO bonding money with a total of $2.8 billion.

“And let’s not forget that a component of the $2.4 billion that Gov. Malloy has allocated for transportation includes the $112 million state share of the much-maligned New Britain to Hartford busway boondoggle,” Sen. McKinney said. “The points I am making about the governor’s boasting today go toward a larger point: People lose trust in their leaders when the truth is stretched and promises are broken.”