Lockbox Proposal Still Flawed

Today in the Transportation Committee, our panel reviewed the proposed constitutional transportation “lockbox amendment.”

The lockbox is supposed to prohibit the legislature from diverting funds set aside in the Special Transportation Fund to meet non-transportation needs.

Much to my disappointment, the current legislative lockbox language is fundamentally flawed.

As currently written, the proposal could still allow transportation revenue to be diverted to non-transportation projects.

The raids on transportation revenues could still continue.

In other words, this “lockbox” is not a true “lockbox”.

I voted “no” on the measure.

Republicans offered an amendment to strengthen the bill, but our proposal failed along party lines.

I am hopeful the lockbox concept can be strengthened before it reaches the full Senate and House.

We must do all we can to ensure that revenues to fix our roads and bridges are not diverted to balance the state budget.