Prediction: Local Highway Departments Paralyzed
The Tennessee County Highway Officials Association joined key Republicans in opposing a suspension of the state’s gas tax. The association said the move would choke funding to road projects, shutting down as many as 45 county highway departments and resulting in up to 1,500 layoffs statewide. The estimates followed comments made last week by State Senator Mark Norris, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, who agreed a suspension of the gas tax “would not be appropriate.” Citing statewide infrastructure needs, Norris said, “You’d be robbing Peter to pay Paul, and that would not be good at this time.” Still, a handful of House Republicans remained undeterred and appeared willing to cut funding in their counties, which have seen more than $1 billion in gas tax-funded road improvements since 2003.
