Another $48m Taken From Roadwork, Steered To Plug Deficit

The maneuver, backed by lawmakers on the joint House and Senate budget committee, got little public discussion and came after months of election campaign promises that such sidetracking of roadwork money should end. Combined with the earlier use of transportation money to pay for state police this year, $93 million initially earmarked for road repairs, highway upgrades and other infrastructure needs will be spent on other government operations. Critics of the latest diversion of transportation funds say the budget maneuver received too little debate and damages the state's ability to chip away at a $12 billion backlog of road and bridge needs. All four major candidates for governor — including the winner in Saturday's election, Democrat John Bel Edwards — campaigned on ending the fund raids and using the money as intended for transportation projects. State transportation department spokesman Rodney Mallett said in a statement the agency "can always make good use of additional funds," but adding the department "must do its part to meet the overall state budget needs."

 

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