State is crumbling and bond package is the fix
Published June 11, 2015
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, June 11, 2015.
This should be a no-brainer. But instead, it's a political football that's bouncing all over the road and into the potholes.
We've got a lot of potholes in North Carolina. You've probably noticed. We've also got a lot of congestion that would be relieved by new and expanded highways. And public buildings are crumbling too.
But for reasons involving politics and self-interest, the General Assembly hasn't paid much attention. That's a shame, because the longer we put it off, the more expensive it's going to get.
Gov. Pat McCrory came to Fayetteville Tuesday to stump for the bond package. He brought along Transportation Secretary Tony Tata and Budget Director Lee Roberts. He told an audience at Fayetteville State University that his proposed bond package would bring at least $113 million here. It would continue construction of the Outer Loop, widen the All American Freeway, do road improvements on Fort Bragg and modernize FSU's Lyons Science Building.
The loop and freeway work are on the priority list anyway, but without the bond package, they will be delayed for years, if not decades. Doing it now makes more sense, prevents traffic congestion and spurs economic development.
The measure requires voter approval and it needs to be on the ballot this year. Interest rates are low and the state's bond rating is the highest that rating agencies give. Interest rates are expected to begin rising by the end of this year, Roberts says, and each additional percentage point will cost the state an extra $30 million.
Trouble is, legislative leaders aren't embracing the plan. They have some interest in fixing buildings and starting other capital projects, but they're resisting using the bond program for highway construction. That makes no sense at all, given our many needs, including the expanding and rebuilding I-95 and finishing the I-74 corridor between Charlotte and the coast. This is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, and our crumbling, inadequate highway system can choke growth and economic expansion.
"We have got to have our legislators hear from you," McCrory told his audience at FSU on Tuesday. He's right. Pick up the phone or grab the keyboard. This should not be a political issue. The expansion is common sense and it won't add any tax burden. Like we said, it's a no-brainer. Even the General Assembly can see that.
