Loss of Revenue for Vermont Transportation

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Created on Monday, 12 November 2012 16:27

Written by Michael Howard

ST. JOHNSBURY - Residents from across the Northeast Kingdom met with the Vermont Transportation board thursday night for the third of six meetings across the state about Vermont's transportation budget.

The budget has been increasing in the past few years but has lost 250 million dollars because of expiring funds from AARA and Irene recovery money.

Executive secretary of the board John Zicconi says there's a tough task at hand. "The money is a big issue, train service, bus service, you name it. How do we raise on the local level more revenue to dot that things that everyone seems to want to do."
There are many options to try and gain back the revenue loss, Zicconi says, including raising the gas tax, bike registration fees, selling naming rights to portions of highways, and increase food and fuel concessions at rest areas.

Lyndon representative Richard Lawrence says it needs to work in Caledonia County. "we need to continue to urge the legislature that even though we don't have a large population, a lot of people continue to travel, particularly with cars, to work on a daily basis, and our roads need to be in as good condition as other roads within the sate. At the present time, those roads are not up to par in Caledonia County in relation to the state of Vermont."

Also discussed at the meeting was the poor condition of route 122 that was brought up numerous times by state senator Joe Benning.

The next meeting is scheduled for November 13th in Winooski.