Congressman Schock Ignores Infrastructure Record in Quincy

Statement

Congressman Schock appeared last Thursday in Quincy (10/9) advocating a slate of infrastructure projects including the Quincy Port, the Macomb bi-pass, and highway spending. His support is nothing new, but the press conference failed to acknowledge his repeated failures to accomplish his agenda.

The Congressman wants to see upgrades to our highways. But year after year his party has been unable to identify sustainable funding for our roads. Schock proposes using fees from new oil leases to supplement the income from our Motor Fuels Tax. His proposal is already over two years old, has not been accepted by his own party, is clearly not politically viable, and would jeopardize a predictable funding formula by relying on a politically unstable revenue source.

Until next May, shortfalls in highway funding are being covered by a Republican proposal to delay pension payments to workers. In Illinois we know all too well how underfunding pensions affects our financial health. Beyond next May, there is no funding plan to supplement the shortfall in the Motor Fuels Tax. States and municipalities cannot plan ahead for next summer's highway projects without reliable funds. This situation is characteristic of our dysfunctional Congress. We need funding that works not political posturing.

Either new revenue sources or budget offsets could fill the current shortfall in funding. But we can only solve this problem with actual funding. Highways will not be built with good intentions.

The proposal by the bipartisan policy group, Thirdway, which offsets increased highway spending by limiting tax deductions for the wealthiest Americans is one possible solution.

I would also support ceasing production of Abram's tanks and some cargo plans that the Pentagon says it neither wants nor needs. We can use those savings for our highways.

Our traditional means of maintaining our roads, the Motors Fuels Tax (MFT), no longer produces enough revenue to build and maintain our highway infrastructure. Even the US Chamber of Commerce, trucking associations, and former advisors to Ronald Raegan support increasing the MFT enough to support the highway trust fund. I would also support some increase in the MFT as part of a solution to our infrastructure needs. Maintaining our highways adds to our productivity, adds to our competitiveness, and provides quality American jobs.

The Congressman also wants to see upgrades to the Quincy Port, but he cannot even manage to fund our crumbling locks and dams. Congress recently passed the Water Resources Development Act to rebuild our locks and dams, however, no revenue source has been designated. This has happened before. Needed work does not get done for lack of funds. For years, barge operators and other stakeholders in river transportation have been asking the government raise the tax they pay on diesel fuel because they know our locks and dams need repair. The Congressman supports, instead, raising fees on barges. I could support this, but it remains to be seen whether it will ever happen. A former lockmaster at the La Grange lock has told me he has asked the Congressman on more than one occasion for funds to repair that lock. An increased tax on river diesel fuel could have had that lock repaired by now.

The Congressman has repeatedly failed to successfully reform funding of the infrastructure so critical to our economic success.

Source