Business Matters

A ten-part series on resolving Washington's anti-business climate

"We will do everything in our power to guarantee a thriving, environmentally-sustainable business climate." – Governor Gary Locke –

Part 3: Unlocking Gridlock

Governor Locke aptly warned, "If we don’t fix our transportation problems now, our businesses won’t grow . . . they’ll leave our state. If we don’t have businesses, we won’t have jobs. It’s that simple."

Well said. It comes as no surprise to I-5 commuters that the Seattle area ranks 2nd in the nation (behind only Los Angeles) in time lost due to traffic congestion. State officials claim we need to increase taxes to solve this problem. But more taxes are not the answer. What we need is accountability for the money state officials already have. The Governor needs to allow the State Auditor to do his job and conduct performance audits, and we need performance-based budgeting for transportation. Locke recently vetoed both.

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation, in its "Unlocking Gridlock" series, has detailed a five-part solution to fixing our state’s transportation mess. The five proposals are: 1) making the transportation budget process effective, 2) allowing meaningful performance measures and performance audits, 3) implementing cost savings, 4) restructuring the Department of Transportation, and 5) identifying alternative funding sources.

1. Making the transportation budget process effective

• Create a binding, accountable budget
• Tie funding to performance
• Find and eliminate inefficiencies
• Treat the Legislative Transportation Committee expenses like the expenses of other committees

2. Allowing meaningful performance measures and performance audits

• Clear and concise mission statement of Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) needs to be adopted
• Specific and quantifiable goals must reflect overall expectation and intentions of the mission statement adopted
• Performance goals must be established to show WSDOT’s progress
• Regular performance audits must be undertaken to determine if WSDOT is effectively and efficiently managing its funds

3. Implementing cost savings

• Review core missions and functions of state agencies
• Refine competitive bidding
• Streamline the permitting process
• Avoid project labor agreements
• Repeal the prevailing wage

4. Restructuring the Department of Transportation

• Make the Secretary of Transportation a governor-appointed position
• Eliminate unnecessary transportation agencies
• Consolidate funding

5. Identifying alternative funding sources

• State and local governments should sell their interests in assets that do not serve core functions of government
• Minimize the federal role in transportation
• Privatize the ferry system
• Examine the Sound Transit Light Rail Project
• Use sales taxes generated by automobile and other transportation-related sales to fund new roads

Lawmakers must agree on a responsible plan to provide and improve the transportation infrastructure our state needs. Performance-based budgeting, performance audits, dedication of all existing taxes on automotive items, etc. should be the very first steps in addressing the transportation quagmire and bringing about needed road construction and maintenance.

Rather than pursue the tried-and-failed course of taxing citizens without providing accountability for funds, our state leaders need to manage the WSDOT much like any CEO would run a company. They need to look for cost savings while still providing the highest quality product to the consumer. While citizens may be willing to pay more for an efficient transportation system, the trend of recent statewide anti-tax initiatives should send the message that voters are no longer willing to write a blank check to state officials.

This is part three in a ten-part series on resolving Washington’s anti-business climate.

Contact: Jason Mercier, Deputy Communications Director, (360) 956-3482 or jmercier@effwa.org

Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org