The Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee has introduced SB 915 to increase gas and sales taxes for transportation by approximately $438 million per year. MoDOT’S budget for the current fiscal year is over $1.9 billion. MoDOT Director Henry Hungerbeeler says MoDOT needs a $1 billion per year tax increase to fund transportation needs. Mr. Hungerbeeler has been saying that MoDOT is going to shift its focus to maintenance instead of construction. I wonder if this is a calculated move to get more money?

Although there have been three new members, including a new chairman, appointed to the Transportation Commission in the past few months, no new accountability measures have been implemented to guarantee the public that your tax dollars are being spent wisely.

Former State Auditor Margaret Kelly released an audit on July 1, 1998 exposing MoDOT’s "generous" moving expenses paid to their employees which exceeded all other State departments. In about half the moves examined, State auditors found the department paid moving expenses that exceeded 10 percent of the employees’ annual salary and in four cases, they paid employees more than 50 percent of their annual salary to relocate. If MoDOT had simply limited moving expenses to no more than 10 percent of an employees’ salary, it could have saved more than $500,000 in fiscal year 1997 alone.

A December 1, 1999 audit released by State Auditor Claire McCaskill, again, pointed out that MoDOT was continuing with their "unreasonable" reimbursement for moving expenses. The audit, again, said that if MoDOT had limited the total reimbursement of moving expenses to 10 percent of an employees’ salary it would have saved $350,000 in fiscal year 1998. They spent $600,000 of highway funds in FY 1998 moving employees around the State.

Also in this January, 2001 audit, MoDOT was continuing to pay "excessive and/or unreasonable" moving expenses. During Fiscal Year 1999 and the first seven months of Fiscal Year 2000 they spent over $634,000 of highway funds for moving expenses.

This is an example of where your tax dollars go and the need to hold MoDot accountable before we ask the people for a half billion dollar tax increase. Consider that the audits also cited misuse of cellular phones, "rodeos", a competition for vehicle operators, and efforts to collect money from individuals or entities that damage state property. Those who damage state property are responsible for paying the costs of repairing the damage. Oh, and MoDot’s new airplane

That’s my perspective write or e-mail with your perspective at the capitol or call toll free 1-877-202-0624. My e-mail address is rrector@services.state.mo.us