Red state’s infrastructure 'falling down' as Trump economy strikes: report

Tennessee’s GOP-imposed pay-as-you-go system for funding road projects is smacking hard against $58 billion in planned road construction projects this year. Meanwhile, new financial demands imposed by the Republican Congress and President Donald Trump are leaving state leaders with no long-term strategy to fund them, according to state transportation officials.

The Tennessean reports anti-tax Republicans consider debt anathema to budget decisions. But Transportation Commissioner Will Reid says that the state's zero-debt system is unable to keep up with a growing deluge of highway and bridge needs.

“It’s kind of like the boy at the dike that’s got cracks in it,” said Reid. “We used to be sticking fingers and toes wherever we could stop the leaking. Well, the reality is, unless you fix the dam, you’re eventually going to run out of fingers and toes.”

Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville offered a similar metaphor: “… [Y]our house is falling down but you refuse to take out a loan because you don’t want to mess with your credit – and then your house is on the ground. You have nowhere to live.”

But lawmakers may have to raise taxes or fees on residents to make ends meet this year thanks to budget decisions on the federal level. “The state’s revenue is no longer booming … and new costs of administering federal programs have been passed down from the federal government after cuts by the Trump administration last year,” the Tennessean reports.

Tennessee Republicans, who have held a trifecta over the state since 2011, already know they are facing “stagnant revenue and federal funding cuts that shifted costs to states,” the Tennessean reports, adding that state economists predict revenue growth won't keep up with projected inflation.

“On top of tight state revenue, lawmakers will have to find funding for new costs passed to states due to federal cuts in President Donald Trump’s budget reform package,” the Tennessean said. “For example, Tennessee will be on the hook to pay $97 million in administrative costs this year previously covered by the federal government to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running.”

“$97 million seems like a lot of money to administer a program,” Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton told the Tennessean. “I don’t understand that.”

Read the Tennessean report and relevant links here.

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