Issue Position: Reduce Traffic and Improve Infrastructure in Morgantown

Issue Position

Unlike many parts of the state, the greater Morgantown area has grown tremendously in the last decade. During this time the citizens of the county have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in state taxes. It is time for more of those dollars to come back to the area to support our growth and infrastructure. Despite some creative fixes in strategic locations, the traffic in Morgantown continues to be a problem. The city, county, and state need to work together with the WVU and other area businesses need to find long term solutions to this problem and we need state funding to support it. I would like to serve as a liaison for the people of the community at the state level to look at creative fixes for the traffic and infrastructure problems of the area. The key is all levels of government need to work with other interested parties to find solutions. We need to look at all ideas such as park and rides at key areas in town, encouraging use of public transportation, encouraging employers to have staggered release of their shifts, WVU to not offer classes at high traffic times. We need to consider all ideas "good ideas' in an effort to come up with solutions.

One idea is instituting "Homerule" in Monongalia county where the county would have greater control over highway and infrastructure improvements. The cost of addressing our roads and associated traffic problems is estimated to be in excess of $440 million. To pay for improvements the idea is to implement a 1% temporary sales tax in the county (with some matching money from the the State). The tax revenue gained would be used to pay off bonds that would pay for the road improvement. Although, I am not in love with a total overhaul of the road system nor do I like more taxes, but this very well could be part of the solution. We need to proceed cautiously in this area as I am aware taxes once raised never seem to go away.

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