The Build America Fund Paves the Way to a Better Future for ALL AMERICANS.
The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is broke. Set to go “belly-up” in the year 2020, the heart of American Infrastructure is set to crumble right before OUR eyes. So who is to blame? For starters, the Congressional Leadership of the last 15 years and the 8 year Obama Administration is in the bulls eye on this one. As a Conservative Republican, I have no issue in calling out my own. However, the current 116th Congress better get on board, observe and realize the need to DO THEIR JOB! With the HTF expiration date rapidly approaching, an excess of 88-billion dollars is needed in the next six years to ensure HTF solvency. This requires an approach and mathematical calculation that will surely explode the redistribution calculators of Liberals across America.
Our nation’s highways and bridges are either dated, declining or decrepit. It isn’t often that Conservatives want to compare their country to that of European counterparts and it goes against Republican policy to instigate additional revenue generation. With such a dire need, focus on matters of national security and social need should take a forefront to systems that take away from some to better a few. Our nation’s road is traveled by all: by Republicans and Democrats, the rich and the poor. I find it baffling that Social Liberals fail to comprehend the economic burden that currently and adversely effects the “disenfranchised” American traveler. Let us not forget the current issue is drastically impacting both American Business and Industry.
For those not familiar, the DC-Beltway is plagued with a lot of issues. One is the I-66 beltway that per state and federal regulations, allows for the use of Congestive Pricing for travel. For the “uninitiated,” this means that during peak travel times, a one-way, one-time, one-road use of I-66 will cost a traveler a whopping $47.50 price tag. This alone ensures that travel on a fully funded road is exclusively reserved for the “Wealthy Elite.” The money earned fails to be redeposited into the HTF – rather, gets “redistributed” into earmarks for other federal funding projects. To boot, this ensures that a higher number of both commercial and personal vehicles will utilize other avenues for travel – increasing risks in both suburban and school areas and putting considerable risk to our local schools and households.
In 2018, congestive highways cost United States businesses 74.5 billion dollars in lost productivity, with 1-billion hours spent stuck in traffic. Commercial vehicles only account for 4% of all traveling vehicles. So 100-billion hours were lost in productivity in smaller, personal vehicles. Imagine sporting events, school activities, and family times missed because of SITTING STILL! Want to know why that gallon of milk costs more today?
So how can this change? First, we need to ensure that this Congress adopt and pass the Build America Fund that uses a 1-cent increased tax on each gallon of gasoline or diesel, that in turn, will make the HTF solvent for the next 10-years – thereby allowing for the upkeep, improvement and redesigning of American Highway Infrastructure. By doing so, the next trip across I-66 in DC will cost $2.50, not $47.50. Roads in Syria are currently in better shape that a lot of our nation’s thoroughfares. As Americans, are we to accept this? The answer is no, the time is now. It is time for Congress to DO THEIR JOB, fix an immediate need and demand, secure the solvency of American Infrastructure and Business and ensure that the Trump-led Economic Growth continues.