Indiana Public Media, flickr
Indiana Public Media, flickr
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Politicians are by nature skittish animals, always worried that their next move or comment might be the one that comes back to haunt them in the next election. They are also strong believers in the 'herd', finding strength and comfort from the company of like minded, equally skittish associates. This is one of the reasons politicians simply love committees. They are usually staffed with members from both parties so that there is plenty of room to spread the blame when it all blows up in their faces, and they can only make 'suggestions', which are much easier to crawfish on than actual bills and motions done in congress. Committees are also useful tools to put off or delay that which is currently too toxic or controversial to deal with at the moment. As Arthur Goldberg so famously said, "If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock."

And so State Department of Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson is giddy with excitement to announce the formation of the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Task Force! Its basically a dressed up committee that's going to 'suggest' how our state's transportation and highway money should be raised and spent. "Our goal, is to present to the Governor, before January 1st, an actionable plan on investing the funding in our infrastructure system.", says Williams.

This task fore was necessary, according to the Governor Edwards, because, "For years, the  Transportation Trust Fund has been raided to pay for other priorities, leaving a $12 billion dollar backlog in critical infrastructure projects." In other words, elected officials have used the money for personal 'pork' projects designed to remind the voters back home how crucial it is to their well being that

Indiana Public Media, flickr
Indiana Public Media, flickr
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they be re-elected again and again.

Williams says the task force will spend the next six months going around the state discussing ways of raising the needed money to complete the work and where the work is needed most. "We've got tremendous opportunities around the country that we've noticed, everything from tolls to public-private partnerships to gas tax increases, You name it, we've done it, and considered it. Now is the time to act."  Strong words indeed. Words,  which in politico speak, mean, "Don't hold your breath."

 

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