The economic stimulus package forthcoming from Congress will include funds for transportation investments, but the proposal on that front from U.S. Rep. Dave Obey unfortunately differs from suggestions made by Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar.
Oberstar -- chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House wise man on all things transportation -- had pushed for more balance between dollars for roadways and dollars for transit, suggesting about one-third of the transportation funding in the economic stimulus package go to transit and rail investments. Obey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, sliced that down to one-quarter.
The Oberstar proposal makes sense given strong interest in transit and rail, particularly in light of auto congestion problems and environmental concerns. But Obey's Appropriations Committee, not Oberstar's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has the final say before action by the full house.
As it stands, transportation spending on roads, transit and rail would account for just more than $40 billion in the Obey plan. The full economic stimulus package from Congress is expected -- at least right now -- to include about $550 billion in federal spending and $275 billion in tax cuts.
National and state groups interested in transit have called upon the House to more closely balance economic stimulus spending on transit and roads. Here's hoping that House members consider Obertar's original recommendations and heed the call for adjustments in the transportation part of the stimulus bill.
-- Matt Kane
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