Stonewall Nixon
AP Photo/L.G. Patterson
Missourians have a right to know where Gov. Jay Nixon stands on the allocation of federal stimulus money coming to Missouri for transportation projects.
The federal money comes with some strings attached, and it’s Mr. Nixon’s job to ensure that the projects chosen for stimulus funds comply with federal requirements. For example, the federal stimulus legislation says that priority should go to projects in economically distressed areas. Projects could be delayed or be rejected for failure to comply with this requirement.
But governor’s staff stonewalled inquiries about what role the governor will take.
We understand why he’d prefer to dodge the issue. Transportation issues are politically tricky in Missouri, often pitting rural, suburban and urban interests against each other. The six-member state Highway and Transportation Commission now has members from Hayti, Neosho, St. Joseph, St. Charles, Jefferson City and Springfield. There are no members from St. Louis, St. Louis County or metropolitan Kansas City, though two positions will open up this month.
It’s the governor’s job to build consensus in the entire state, not worry about politics. Still, if it is politics he’s worried about, we’d point out that St. Louis and St. Louis County provided him with 29.1 percent of the votes he got in November’s election. If it’s economic development he’s worried about, we’d point out that the metropolitan St. Louis area accounts for about 35 percent of all economic activity in Missouri.
The public has a right be informed of the decision making. And the governor should welcome the bright light of day shining on the process.
After all, a lot of public money is at stake — more than $400 million that is available to use anywhere in the state.
The time frame for advancing projects is tight. The Missouri Highway Commission approved more than $30 million in projects just last week. Hundreds of millions of dollars in additional spending quickly could find its way onto a commission agenda.
It would be nice to give the public a chance to weigh in the governor’s policies — in part because there are serious questions about whether Missouri is taking adequate steps to ensure that the allocation of funds complies with federal law.
The Missouri Department of Transportation released a statewide list of projects. But the city of St. Louis was cut out of the action, receiving less than $2 million of the total funding package — even though the city would seem to be one of those “economically distressed areas” that is supposed get priority.
Federal regulations say projects funded by stimulus money also must be part of a viable economic development strategy. MoDOT’s proposed projects are scattered around the state, many in sparsely populated rural districts.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has raised red flags about MoDOT’s loose approach to stimulus spending regulations. He absolutely was right to do so, but he should not have been forced.
Mr. Nixon has the duty to address the issue. But he has stood mute, allowing Mr. Slay to be publicly criticized by other Democrats for not being a team player.
Mayor Slay’s insistence on adherence to the law might have embarrassed partisan interests, but it serves the public well.
MoDOT district engineers will hold “briefing sessions” on stimulus projects at its district offices (locally at 14301 South Outer 40 Road in Chesterfield) at 6 p.m. today. But the list of projects that are the subject of the briefing won’t be released until shortly before the meeting. Citizens should have been given time to digest the material so they could ask pertinent questions in a public setting.
That’s what transparency means. Sure, there’s a lot on the governor’s plate, but the public has a right to know where he stands — particularly on the question of whether St. Louis is going to get a fair shake.
…………..will he say Missouri or Missoura?
How much money is being spent in St. Louis for the Highway 40 reclamation project? Something like a billion dollars to redo a major St. Louis east-west corridor.
I would like to see some of the transportation money spent on public transportation and not just highways. Expanding Metro Link to Charlietown or Chedderfield.
And where is the General Assembly or the Governor on creating a high speed rail service from St. Louis to Kansas City, or St. Louis to Memphis? I heard this evening that Illinois is already looking for money for a Chicago to St. Louis high speed line. Let’s give the airlines some competition in the local markets.
Gov Nixon will take the same position that a certain woman Senator will take. The position will to leave it alone and let MoDOT dictate. Why? because they are elected statewide and needed St. Louis County as well as the rest of the state to get elected. As far as Slay goes, does anyone really think that the rest of the state in this economy is even listening to him, NO! He should get off the soap box and realize that it is time to work with Dooley and the County. If it means Hwy 141 for the county in return for more education dollars for the city. Let the pavement fly!!
…”Still, if it is politics he’s worried about, we’d point out that St. Louis and St. Louis County provided him with 29.1 percent of the votes he got in November’s election.”
You answered your own question. The urban vote and PD endorsements are a lock for Nixon and his party. Why not buy some outstate swing votes with the federal windfall?
A good politician/public servant would find a healthy middle-ground; if you go for politics rather than people, you’ll ultimately serve neither politics nor people. Nixon’s smart (smarter than used to be when tried to sell out stlouis school kids in deseg case for own political agenda), I believe, and will find the way. And a hell of a campaigner! and speaker! What a great honor to be at so many functions with him this past summer and fall during campaigns. Would like to work for him in Agriculture or education departments; probably wont happen, but you never know.
Sounds a bit confusing but so simple to understand. Govt spending taxpayers money never really gets it correct. It brings to my mind a childhood memory in the country as the farmer fead his hungry pigs. Income Taxes are paid by 60% of the people, maybe they should decide where it goes. Stupid idea huh.
Since the Bootheel region (which generates 30 percent of Missouri’s agricultural economy and products) a fair portion needs to help generate jobs there that are non-farm related. Go Obama!!!
The question is not where Governor Nixon’s votes came from but where the money is needed. to suggest that because 39% of st.Louis voted for Nixon i the money should flow that way is begging for quid-pro-qo and suggesting if st Louis doesn’t get a largess then perhaps the Post -Dispatch would not support Nixon next time around is laughable. just as Washington dimisses Missouri as a fly-over State, st. Louis and Kansas City seem to see themselves as the be all and end all of Missouri. Based on economic activity, the rural areas of the state (you remember us, we grow your damn food) far surpass metropolitan areas for PRODUCING a value added commodity. Just circulating money around the metro area isn’t good enough . it’s about time rural missouri got a road we didn’t have to pass a sales tax on ourselves to build.