February 12, 200718 yr Look at it this way: He may be a long-time county engineer from a rural county, but he comes to ODOT with a staff already picked by (and answerable to) the Governor and this is a Governor who has already publically embraced the idea of making ODOT a more "intermodal" transportation agency isntead of a "Department of Roads". Strickland has also publically supported the Ohio Hub Plan. Long story / short: The boss at ODOT is the "Guv". Beasley is a long-time friend of Strickland's and he is going to do what the boss says. Plus, I think we should cut the guy (Beasley) a little slack. I've actually had the opportunity to read the evaluation he did of ODOT for the Governor's transition team and he stated in the report (I'm paraphrasing) that ODOT needs to become a true Dept. of Transportation and promote and develop non-highway modes. Let's see if he walks the walk.
February 13, 200718 yr Yes, let's see... Only time will tell. I hope this guy really does understand that the "T" in ODOT stands for Transportation and not just Highways. So far, Strickland's appointments for other agencies have been pretty good.
February 13, 200718 yr Brown County engineer named director of ODOT Tuesday, February 13, 2007 Mark Niquette THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Gov. Ted Strickland yesterday picked Brown County Engineer James G. Beasley to run the Ohio Department of Transportation, leaving the new governor six more cabinet positions to fill. Beasley, 57, has been the engineer in the southwestern Ohio county since 1980 and will assume his new duties March 5 in what is typically one of the most patronage-laden agencies in state government. ........ http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/13/20070213-D3-01.html
February 13, 200718 yr Strickland names county engineer to run ODOT Tuesday, February 13, 2007 Mark Rollenhagen and Sarah Hollander Plain Dealer Reporters Gov. Ted Strickland on Monday tapped the long-time engineer from a small county in southwest Ohio to become director of the Ohio Department of Transportation. Brown County Engineer James Beasley, 57, had coordinated the Strickland transition team's review of ODOT in December. He has been Brown County's elected engineer since 1980, managing a $4 million budget for the county of 45,000 residents. ODOT oversees about $2 billion a year in transportation spending. "It's not the amount of dollars you manage, it's how you manage the dollars you have," Beasley said in an interview. "Obviously, there's a change in scale." ....... Howard Maier, executive director of the five-county Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, said he hopes ODOT's new leaders understand transportation issues specific to large metropolitan areas. He also hopes they appreciate multiple forms of travel, including trips by bus, train, light rail and bike. ........ http://www.cleveland.com/open/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1171359312256130.xml&coll=2
February 13, 200718 yr ... this is a Governor who has already publically embraced the idea of making ODOT a more "intermodal" transportation agency isntead of a "Department of Roads". Strickland has also publically supported the Ohio Hub Plan. ... Plus, I think we should cut the guy (Beasley) a little slack. I've actually had the opportunity to read the evaluation he did of ODOT for the Governor's transition team and he stated in the report (I'm paraphrasing) that ODOT needs to become a true Dept. of Transportation and promote and develop non-highway modes. Let's see if he walks the walk. Good information there, Noozer. :wave: Please keep us apprised. Can we get to that report on ODOT?
February 13, 200718 yr I'll see if I can find an electronic copy. But in the meantime, here is a follow-up news release I got from the Hannah News Wire Service that quotes from the report and some insights that indicate this will be a very different ODOT from what Gordon Proctor ran. Strickland Pick Augurs Policy Changes at ODOT Hannah News Wire The governor's office has maintained a general position of neutrality about many of the recommendations from his transition team review of state agencies, but an announcement Monday would appear to signal a new policy direction atthe Ohio Department of Transportation. ....... Beasley's report said fiscal soul-searching would also be necessary to realign priorities around "multi-modal" transportation facilities and away from a limited focus on Ohio's primary arteries. "ODOT changed its name many years ago, but many believe it still thinks of itself as a highway department," noted the report. "ODOT needs to embrace a multi-modal economically driven project selection process that serves all of Ohio. This process needs to realize that land use patterns are a direct result of the transportation system serving them. Planning and decision making should be weighted toward containing urban sprawl." ......... "State government aggravates the situation by facilitating and promoting the development of new communities (by, for example, widening highways and building interchanges, which are powerful boosters of development) and then disregarding the deleterious effects on old communities ...." Beasley's report offered one solution to the problem: "Thought should be given to creating an integrated network of multi-modal facilities that seamlessly links Ohio's citizens, businesses, railways, highways, and port facilities into the most efficient transportation system possible. Ohio can be a premier gateway to international commerce and a hub for the nation's freight." The report said state projects under ODOT would need to work with local mass transit to make this vision a reality. ...........
February 13, 200718 yr Unfortunately, he didn't write that report that has his name on it. Obviously, he signed off on it, and that's a positive. I only hope he believes as strongly about the contents of the report as the people who actually wrote it and poured their hearts, souls and brains into it. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 13, 200718 yr I don't think he has much choice but to follow what's in the report, as it reflects the thoughts and plans of his boss (Gov. Strickland). It is the Governor who is setting the tone here, and that is good news. The story that began this thread resonated deeply with the Transition team and (thus) also with the Governor. My sources tell me that the mess that was left behind by the previous ODOT Administration more than adequately demonstrated that it's "highways or no way" mentality had to be changed. I think their report, which still had to be read and approved by Beasley, reflected that. I believe we will see significant change; perhaps not overnight, but significant change nonetheless. The days of "Taftian" benign neglect are over.
February 13, 200718 yr I have a feeling we aren't the only ones who will welcome a change. I heard from a person with an engineering background that there were a lot of small projects (culverts, etc) that weren't getting done. Proctor apparently was interested in mega-projects more than anything else.
February 13, 200718 yr When asked to comment on ODOT's shift in transportation policy, former ODOT Director Gordon Proctor said -- "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 13, 200718 yr I am also cautiously optimistic. So far, the Strickland administration has been saying all the right things about transportation and land use. According to this latest statement, it looks as though it's not just campaign rhetoric and he really wants change. I have to stay cautious, though. Rooting for balanced transportation in Ohio has been a lot like rooting for the Browns-- hopes dashed year after year...
February 14, 200718 yr to continue the football metaphor, lets call our car crazed current system the colts, and call higher oil prices an injury to peyton manning. The browns still can't beat them, but maybe they can cover the spread.
February 14, 200718 yr That area is the definition of sprawl and will be an interesting case study on how the new ODOT manages it.
February 14, 200718 yr FRA 07-07 Contact: Steve Kulm Wednesday, February 14, 2007 or Warren Flatau Tel.: (202) 493-6024 Federal Government Will Regulate Railroad Hours of Service and Increase Focus on Safety Risk Reduction, Under the Administration’s Proposed Rail Safety Legislation For the first time ever the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will have authority to regulate railroad worker hours of service and will provide greater focus on risk reduction to improve safety in the railroad industry under a rail safety reauthorization bill submitted to the Congress today, announced FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. “We must embrace new methods and strategies to further reduce the number of accidents in the rail industry,” Boardman said. “Railroads must be more accountable for the safety of their operations and rail employees need work schedules that reduce fatigue and promote safety,” he added, noting that the bill will reauthorize the federal rail safety program through 2011. Boardman said the FRA proposal will replace railroad hours of service laws, first enacted in 1907, with comprehensive, scientifically based regulations to address the serious issue of worker fatigue. The laws, which set the maximum on-duty or minimum off-duty hours for train crews, dispatchers, and signal maintainers would now be set by the FRA, much like hours of services standards are set for airline pilots and truck drivers. Under the proposal, the FRA Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, made up of railroad management, labor representatives and other key stakeholders, will review the issue and develop recommendations on new hours of service limits based on current, sound science before any changes are made. To achieve additional safety improvements, the proposal also will supplement traditional safety efforts with the establishment of risk reduction programs, Boardman explained. FRA will place increased emphasis on developing methods to systematically evaluate safety risks in order to hold railroads more accountable for improving the safety of their own operations, including risk management strategies and implementing plans to eliminate or minimize the opportunity for workers to make errors which can result in accidents. Other provisions in the proposal include requiring states and railroads to update the National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Inventory on a regular basis to ensure current information is available for hazard analysis in determining where federal safety improvement funding is directed. In addition, the proposed legislation would expand the authority of the FRA to disqualify any individual as unfit for safety-sensitive service for violation of federal regulations related to transporting hazardous materials, among other items. A copy of the full legislative proposal can be found at www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/48.
February 16, 200718 yr http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/16/20070216-A1-05.html PROJECT SLOWDOWN Governor: Roadwork too costly Friday, February 16, 2007 James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Gov. Ted Strickland yesterday applied the brakes to Ohios ambitious road-building plans, saying the state will take on more than $1.2 billion in debt by 2014 if it sticks to its project schedule. Strickland said he hasnt decided to kill any specific undertaking and emphasized that the state would continue to fund roadwork necessary for safety, congestion relief and economic development. But he signaled that the Ohio Department of Transportation will slow the rapid pace of construction that former Gov. Bob Taft dubbed his "Jobs and Progress Plan." ......
February 16, 200718 yr Change is in the wind. Compare these two stories: County leaders to governor: If you build roads, the jobs will come By Candice Brooks Higgins Staff Writer Thursday, February 15, 2007 HAMILTON With $34.6 million in county road improvements taking place in 2007 and a new state administration in control, Butler County commissioners are looking to revive some major transportation projects. Their first step is to get Gov. Ted Strickland to visit in late March in hopes that he might then back state funding for building roads here. Though Republican-dominant Butler County is asking for support from a Democrat-controlled state administration, county leaders believe their track record of using road projects as an engine for job growth is their selling point. .... Find this article at: http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/02/15/hjn021607roads.html ******************** PROJECT SLOWDOWN Governor: Roadwork too costly Friday, February 16, 2007 James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Gov. Ted Strickland yesterday applied the brakes to Ohios ambitious road-building plans, saying the state will take on more than $1.2 billion in debt by 2014 if it sticks to its project schedule. Strickland said he hasnt decided to kill any specific undertaking and emphasized that the state would continue to fund roadwork necessary for safety, congestion relief and economic development. But he signaled that the Ohio Department of Transportation will slow the rapid pace of construction that former Gov. Bob Taft dubbed his "Jobs and Progress Plan." Several major projects in central Ohio hang in the balance, including about $220 million in upgrades to the I-270 interchanges with Rts. 315 and 23 and I-71, and the reconstruction of the I-70/71 split through Downtown thats supposed to cost about $500 mil- lion. ........ http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/16/20070216-A1-05.html
February 16, 200718 yr ^ Why does the budget go from $939 million in 2007 to only $260 million in 2015??? Since almost all of ODOT's funding comes from gasoline tax revenues, I would expect the budget would be fairly flat.
February 16, 200718 yr Wow. Talk about delaying a LOT of projects. I would like to see the budget decrease, but to $260 million for a state as large as Ohio? I hope this is for new construction and not for maintenance...
February 16, 200718 yr I think it may be because ODOT took the six cent gas tax increase and leveraged the shit out of itself in the form of bonds. That's probably why you see a lot of money early on. Also, keep in mind that it takes millions to keep the ODOT organization running and then there are fixed costs, like maintenance and snow removal that have to be factored in. ODOT has obligated itself to the point where there is nothing left and yet they spent like drunken sailors, thinking there would be more federal money to use as a match. Guess what? The Feds are going broke too!! The federal highway trust fund will start running deficits soon. Maybe, just maybe this will force the powers that be to realize what an unsustainable transportation "system" we really have and make fundamental changes to it. The worm is turning... :wink:
February 16, 200718 yr Wow. Talk about delaying a LOT of projects. I would like to see the budget decrease, but to $260 million for a state as large as Ohio? I hope this is for new construction and not for maintenance... It is. That's Taft's Jobs & Progress program, which ODOT had called its "Major/New Capacity" program. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 16, 200718 yr http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1171620235309210.xml&coll=2 Plain Dealer: New ODOT chief Beasley, formerly a rural county engineer, wrote a transition report for Strickland on ODOT that was critical of TRAC and its emphasis on congestion, accident rates and average daily traffic in selecting which projects to pay for. "This focus disenfranchises rural Ohio and insures that most projects will have an urban setting," Beasley wrote in the report. Instead, Beasley suggests the criteria should include public benefit versus cost as well as economic impact. "This would level the playing field for rural areas, economic development projects and projects benefiting other modes of transportation," he wrote. I see a flash of a better vision for transportation in that quote.
February 16, 200718 yr I agree. This may signal the beginning of ODOT becoming a truly multi-modal agency. here's a view on the same story from the Dayton Daily News and the Youngstown Vindicator: Strickland warns about shortage of funds for highway plans; I-75 could be affected Projected deficits common for long-term projects, ODOT director says. By William Hershey Staff Writer Friday, February 16, 2007 COLUMBUS Gov. Ted Strickland on Thursday set off an alarm about a projected $1.2 billion shortfall by 2014 for the program that designates money for highway projects such as the proposed $175.9 million I-75 interchange upgrade at Ohio 4, Main Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Dayton. "I'm concerned that through the years the TRAC (Transportation Review Advisory Council) has made more commitments to our local communities than there are funds to finance them," Democrat Strickland told a luncheon meeting of the Ohio Newspaper Association. While not calling it a false alarm, Gordon Proctor, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation under outgoing Republican Gov. Bob Taft, said that such projected deficits are common in long-term planning for highway projects. "The sky is not falling," Proctor said. "This is what you face constantly when you extend out highway funding five or 10 years. The need always outpaces the revenue." ........... Area projects Dayton area projects on TRAC Tier I new construction list for 2007-2013: Montgomery County Addition of a third continuous lane on Interstate 75 through the U.S. 35 interchange. Upgrades to the I-75 interchange from U.S. 35 to Monument Avenue. I-75 Interchange at Austin Pike. Improvements to I-75 at West Carrollton. Butler and Warren counties Additional lane on I-75 from Ohio 129 to Ohio 122, and upgrades at the I-75 and Ohio 63 interchange. Clark County Add a lane on I-70 from Enon Road to Ohio 54. \ Find this article at: http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/02/15/ddn021607roads.html Strickland: Review project funding Friday, February 16, 2007 The governor says the budget will require belt-tightening. By MARC KOVAC VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT COLUMBUS Gov. Ted Strickland has asked the new Ohio Department of Transportation director for a thorough review of Transportation Review Advisory Council funding of local road projects. He also wants an outline of recommendations for fiscal improvement. The governor discussed the issue Thursday during a luncheon as part of the three-day Ohio Newspaper Association convention in Columbus. Strickland is scheduled to give his State of the State address March 14 and present his biennial budget to the 127th General Assembly the next day. While not disclosing the details, he has made it known that spending levels estimated by agencies under the previous administration exceed projected revenues by $1 billion to $1.5 billion. The new budget, he has said, will require belt-tightening, thanks to tax cuts initiated by the Legislature and flat overall economic growth. ......... http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/337627985563506.php
February 16, 200718 yr http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1171620235309210.xml&coll=2 Plain Dealer: New ODOT chief Beasley, formerly a rural county engineer, wrote a transition report for Strickland on ODOT that was critical of TRAC and its emphasis on congestion, accident rates and average daily traffic in selecting which projects to pay for. "This focus disenfranchises rural Ohio and insures that most projects will have an urban setting," Beasley wrote in the report. Instead, Beasley suggests the criteria should include public benefit versus cost as well as economic impact. "This would level the playing field for rural areas, economic development projects and projects benefiting other modes of transportation," he wrote. I see a flash of a better vision for transportation in that quote. I also see a glaring promotion of sprawl in that as well. Rural areas are disenfranchised? Yeah...let's just build loads of new highways and extra lanes so rural counties can attract businesses to relocate out of our cities. Am I reading that wrong?
February 16, 200718 yr Interesting to note that Mr. Beasley is also a farmer and I'm told he is very keen on farmland preservation. That would seem to bode well for a transportation policy that at least takes the impacts of sprawl into account and even works toward limiting sprawl.
February 16, 200718 yr Boreal says: "I also see a glaring promotion of sprawl in that as well. Rural areas are disenfranchised? Yeah...let's just build loads of new highways and extra lanes so rural counties can attract businesses to relocate out of our cities." "Am I reading that wrong?" Too soon to say. I think he's interested in fairness and that may or may not mean more rural road building.
February 16, 200718 yr I definitely share your concern Brewmaster. I guess we need to see more concrete policy changes to be certain of what we are going to get.
February 17, 200718 yr That's what Brewmaster said, not what Boreal said Boreal says: "I also see a glaring promotion of sprawl in that as well. Rural areas are disenfranchised? Yeah...let's just build loads of new highways and extra lanes so rural counties can attract businesses to relocate out of our cities." "Am I reading that wrong?" Too soon to say. I think he's interested in fairness and that may or may not mean more rural road building.
February 17, 200718 yr I also see a glaring promotion of sprawl in that as well. Rural areas are disenfranchised? Yeah...let's just build loads of new highways and extra lanes so rural counties can attract businesses to relocate out of our cities. Am I reading that wrong? It was an oversimplification on the newspapers' part. What the report said is that ODOT has spent and would continue to spend significant funding on new Interstate capacity in metropolitan areas while rural state routes have neglected pavement and bridges. And as we have seen with the three most-costly metro-area Interstate projects (Inner Belt in Cleveland, I-70/71 split in Columbus, I-75 in/near Cincinnati), these don't necessarily bode well for the health of their urban cores. Here is what a pertinant part of the much larger report actually says: BUDGET CUTTING IDEAS Reprioritize Major/New and Major Bridge program criteria and project lists to cut unnecessary projects and those not contributing adequately to Strickland goals of economic development or fix-it-first and intermodal connectivity. System Capacity evaluation vs. Corridor Capacity the interstate system is “gold-plated” while roads linking to them (and under local control) are crumbling or at lower levels of service and condition. Conduct Statewide Assessment of how investments contribute to the system and economic development. The Jobs & Progress plan is essentially a political document not a transportation planning document. The projects represent a wish list for locals and a justification for a gas tax increase by Taft Admin. AccessOhio is a long-term transportation plan required by the FHWA, but it is essentially an existing conditions report. As a result, neither of these documents are tied to the economic or transportation system performance of Ohio. There has been no assessment at this time, how these contribute to increasing gross state product. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 17, 200718 yr Well, I would say the Interstate 70-71 split in Columbus would be a high-priority project. It carries a substantial amount of traffic and features substandard interchanges (e.g. left-hand entrances and exits, non-existant or small merge lanes, etc.). It is also an awful barrier between the downtown and the districts to the south. A reconstruction should minimize this as much as possible, while updating the interstate to modern standards. It should be designed with a cut-and-cover proposal in mind, similar to Fort Washington Way.
February 17, 200718 yr I have to agree with you on the I-70/I-71 split. The present roadway is a mess and is a tangle of ramps. The whole thing is carbon monoxide choked moat that separates downtown from neighborhoods to the south and east, and probably was a factor in the decline of Old Town East. I do like your idea of a Ft. Washington Way cut-and-cover. That's a lot of space that could be used for parks or buildings. It'd be good to build with that idea in mind. maybe now things might change and ODOT will be a bit more responsive to community desires.
February 21, 200718 yr For Immediate Release: Contact: Keith Dailey Wednesday, February 21, 2007 614 644-0957/614 506-4949 [email protected] Strickland Announces Transportation, Public Safety Budgets for Next Biennium Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today presented his budget for the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Public Safety to the Ohio General Assembly. Strickland’s total recommended transportation budget for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 biennium are $3.9 and $3.8 billion respectively. “I believe this budget defines and funds our transportation and public safety priorities in a fiscally responsible way,” Strickland said. “This budget represents the challenges, opportunities, priorities and realities we currently face.” Ohio Department of Transportation Strickland’s budget for the Department of Transportation calls for a top-to-bottom reassessment of major new construction projects and criteria used to choose those projects, set by the Transportation Review Advisory Council, to ensure the department is on solid financial footing and that the state is a more reliable partner to local communities. The reassessment will include a review of how to maximize the Department of Transportation’s use of federal dollars. “Our transportation policy must renew and revitalize our cities and towns, connect our isolated economies to national markets, and maintain the pristine nature of Ohio’s rural areas,” Strickland said. “The investments we make in our roads, highways and state infrastructure should contribute to job creation.” During this review, efforts will be made to be as minimally disruptive as possible to the Department of Transportation’s new construction schedule for the next two years. The Department of Transportation makes up 80 percent of the total budget with total appropriations of about $3.2 billion in fiscal year 2008 and over $3.1 billion in fiscal year 2009. Ohio Department of Public Safety Most significantly in the Department of Public Safety, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is facing a $29 million shortfall in 2009 because the patrol will no longer be receiving a share of the gas tax. In order to keep the patrol from facing a $29 million deficit, Strickland will propose a change in the gasoline shrinkage and evaporation allowance. “Safety is a top priority of this administration, and our state troopers work with our counties and municipalities to keep Ohio as safe as possible,” Strickland said. “We must not weaken the troopers strong presence on our highways, and we must provide them with the resources they need to keep Ohioans safe.” The Ohio gasoline shrinkage and evaporation allowance, which exists to offset the costs to petroleum companies for evaporation at the pump, was to be raised to 3.0 percent in this biennium, but it will be lowered to 1.0 percent, which is the national median for the last fully compiled set of data from 2001. This change in the allowance will generate $38 million. Consumers should not pay the price for this change. The portion of the shrinkage and evaporation allowance transmitted to retailer will not change, so Ohioans should be protected at the pump from any added costs. The Department of Public Safety budget represents 18 percent of the total budget with appropriations of $685 million in fiscal year 2008 and $690 million in fiscal year 2009. For the complete transportation budget bill please visit: http://www.obm.ohio.gov/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 21, 200718 yr ^ I'm not sure I understand the change to the shrinkage and evaporation rates, but I think that's by design. It seems like a sneaky way to increase the gas tax by removing some of the fudge factor. He seemed to quickly glaze over the part saying that station operators won't simply pass this along to customers...but of course they will. They've got pretty slim margins as it is. If that's the case...excellent work Mr. Governor! Very clever first step!
February 21, 200718 yr I do like your idea of a Ft. Washington Way cut-and-cover. That's a lot of space that could be used for parks or buildings. It'd be good to build with that idea in mind. maybe now things might change and ODOT will be a bit more responsive to community desires. Actually, its just "cover" for FWW...the cuts already done (e.g. the foundations are in place for caps)...
February 22, 200718 yr Another on the Guv's budget -- the Ohio Rail Development Commission's budget would be doubled, from $2 million per year to $4 million. This, of course, assumes the budget is approved by the General Assembly. So please contact your state legislators and ask that they support this -- as well as an increase in transit funding which had been reduced from $40 million in 2000 to just $16.3 million in 2007. Even, that $40 million is far below the amounts of surrounding states. Here's how to find out who your state legislators are: http://www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/Representatives.jsp http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 22, 200718 yr Strickland's plan could be felt at pump To fund Highway Patrol, he wants to cut tax break for gas wholesalers, who could pass on cost to drivers By Dennis J. Willard Beacon Journal Columbus Bureau COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland's proposed two-year, $7.7 billion transportation budget would give gasoline wholesalers a smaller tax deduction for shrinkage and evaporation. The policy's goal is to ensure funding for the State Highway Patrol, but it could lead to higher prices at the pumps for motorists. ``It should not affect the consumer,'' Strickland said of his proposal, while acknowledging that wholesalers could pass their $38 million in costs on to drivers, and state government would have no way to stop them. Strickland wants to reduce the current 1.35 percent deduction allowed to wholesalers to 1 percent, and continue to give retailers a 0.65 percent deduction. The deduction was scheduled to rise back to the 3 percent that had been afforded gas retailers, wholesalers and refineries until two years ago. ....... http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/state/16755570.htm
February 22, 200718 yr The expansion of capacity for all modes of public transportation; Which would not include cycling or walking
February 23, 200718 yr I'm surprised the piece didn't at least refer to walking/cycling. But Strickland's ODOT transition report sure did. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 23, 200718 yr Gas-tax write-off cost Ohio millions Governor wants to reduce exemption to help highway patrol Friday, February 23, 2007 James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH During the past five years, Ohio has given gas wholesalers a $211.5 million tax break for fuel that shrinks in underground tanks or evaporates into the air. But even industry representatives acknowledge that with modern equipment, little fuel is lost to evaporation or shrinkage. In fact, sometimes the gasoline actually expands in the underground tanks. Roger F. Dreyer, president of the Ohio Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, said the tax exemption is more of a protection for fuel dealers against losses from customers who drive off from gas stations without paying. Since wholesalers pay taxes when they deliver fuel to stations, not when its actually pumped, they still get taxed on stolen fuel, he said. But Keith Dailey, a spokesman for Gov. Ted Strickland, said the state shouldnt be paying extra for drive-offs. The law that established the shrinkage and evaporation write-off makes no reference to stolen fuel. ....... http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/23/20070223-A1-01.html
February 23, 200718 yr From the Hannah News Service: R's and D's Debate Direction of Transportation Budget Under HB67 .....
February 23, 200718 yr I'm surprised the piece didn't at least refer to walking/cycling. But Strickland's ODOT transition report sure did. thanks for noting that!
March 2, 200718 yr Ohio eyes gasoline suppliers' write-off Officials want to cut shrinkage deduction Friday, March 02, 2007 Sarah Hollander Plain Dealer Reporter Back when a fill-'er-up order came with a free windshield wash and the smell of fuel fumes in the air, Ohio began offering gas suppliers a tax write-off that has since cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Gov. Ted Strickland recently suggested cutting the deduction in half. But gas wholesalers say science, and fairness, make a case for not only keeping the allowance, but also increasing it. Ohio enacted the motor fuel evaporation and shrinkage allowance, as it's officially known, around 1932. The state began whittling away at the discount nearly two years ago. In the past five fiscal years, wholesale and retail fuel dealers have used it to reduce their taxes by more than $239 million, according to the state. ....... http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1172828157213190.xml&coll=2
March 5, 200718 yr Just found this terrific report from a few years ago.... http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report04/sprawl04.pdf (2.6 mb download) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 7, 200718 yr Here is a very superficial argument which I will refute later when I have more time... _______________________ A dangerous intersection Public policy, personal preferences collide on Interstate 90 Wednesday, March 07, 2007 Kevin O'Brien Plain Dealer Columnist At the corner of Ohio 83 and Chester Road in Avon stands a gas station. The sign out front says Marathon, but it's really the Gas Station of No Return. During much of the day, after you pull in and fill up, you have to wait so long for a break in traffic so you can get back on the road that you're half-tempted to return to the pump to top off. The roads there, just north of Interstate 90, just west of a Wal-Mart and just south of the Avon Lake line, are that busy. I don't happen to live in Avon or Avon Lake, so I don't have a dog in the coming fight over Avon's wish to build a new interchange farther east on I-90, which would relieve traffic pressure on the one at Ohio 83. ........ O'Brien is The Plain Dealer's deputy editorial director. To reach Kevin O'Brien [email protected], 216-999-4146 Previous columns online: cleveland.com/columns "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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