BUT THIS TIME ANOTHER OBAMA BAILOUT SEEMS UNLIKELY …
Three years ago S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley‘s Transportation Department (SCDOT) ran out of money and had to stop paying contractors. The result? All paving and maintenance work in the state ground to a halt (although totally unnecessary boondoggles still got their money).
Haley got her agency out of the jam by (wait for it) requesting and receiving a $52 million bailout from the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. Just six weeks after she approved what at the time was the largest spending plan in South Carolina history …
Gotta love those “Tea Party” Republicans, right?
Anyway … what is past is prologue, it would appear.
This week, SCDOT commissioners met to discuss the agency’s fiscal outlook … which isn’t good.
Specifically, they admitted their cash balance would be in the negative beginning later this summer – a shortfall that is expected to last for several months. In fact the cash crunch could be much deeper – and extend into 2015 – if the federal government can’t (or won’t) pay states reimbursements from the recent ice storms.
First, let’s take a look at the SCDOT chart showing the “best-case” shortfall …
(Click to enlarge)
Now, here’s what happens if the federal reimbursements don’t materialize …
(Click to enlarge)
Yikes …
At a recent commission meeting, S.C. Sen. Larry Grooms asked point-blank if the agency was going to have another problem paying contractors like they did in 2011. Agency leaders claim they have a contingency plan, but the ice storms were unforeseen, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is already warning states that they will have to decrease payments, beginning in July.
“The trajectory for the highway account has worsened,” federal transportation undersecretary Peter Rogoff said at a hearing in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.
In fact the cash crunch may start affecting states prior to July …
SCDOT is currently run by Haley’s former college roommate. She assumed the position after the governor’s first pick, Robert St. Onge, resigned his office in disgrace earlier this year.
FITS has been exposing South Carolina’s highway funding issues for years. To read our most recent recap, CLICK HERE.
78 comments
If we want to ween ourselves of federal dependence, then we have to do the fiscally responsible action of raising the gas tax to an appropriate level to adequately fund our roads and their respective improvement projects. If the state refuses to do it, then at least enable counties and municipalities the ability to do so.
Of course, the elimination of boondoggle pet projects and overall DOT reform are needed as well, but even with those changes, it still will not adequately address the funding challenges that we face in maintaining and improving our existing infrastructure, let alone plan for responsible investment and improvement in the future.
DOT’s leadership needs to change, it needs to focus on ending bullshit projects and finding ways to lower costs. Once done, they need to present the new numbers to the legislature and tell them what kind of revenue they will need to operate properly, plus perform necessary maintenance, repair, and upgrades.
This is how things should operate in our government. If they will still need more money after all of this, so be it, but let’s not put the cart before the horse. Raising revenues going to this stuff is going to be wasted money if DOT is not forced to get its house in order first.
Precisely!
If failure triggers a call for change, you also advocate a change (dumping) the leadership in the White House, right?…because Obama is the WORST president of my lifetime, and it seems he is TRYING to Screw the Americans people…He has to know how people are suffering because of his failed policies….
Certainly you do not support the disaster Obama is?..or do you only criticize based on race and your religion of liberalism???
If failure triggers a call for change
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The Iraq war, deregulation, economic disaster… ignore it – the Republicans fucked it up, the Republicans can make it better.
Twilight Zone much?
Much much?
One thing you definitely do *not* want to do is educate the population… that would ruin everything!
Biggest problem, people like that sack of corrupt shit, Bobby Harrell.
If we want to ween ourselves of federal dependence
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You could always secede and live like animals in holes.
Way to demagogue my comments, dude. I was discussing federal dependence to bail us out, not outright secession.
I can’t help myself. Call it a weakness. :)
The South has me tickled.
Then you agree, if we go it alone, we can refuse to pay Obama’s exorbitant healthcare tax??…
And do you advocate we begin drilling for oil, off the SC Coast, w/o federal permission…and say F*#k You to Obama? ….Do you demand we build refineries???
Because Obama has ALREADY imposed a $1.50 a gallon tax or more for all of his presidency…because he has limited production.
And: if we don’t take our money back from them, that they take from those of us who pay taxes…..Can we do things RIGHT, instead of suffering to Obama’s failed way?
those of us who pay taxes
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only a dope pays taxes.
I surely thought that would elicit a response.
plausible deniability. :)
Enough! You have cussed at everyone and made yourself a royal pain in the butt just because you have a computer and a keyboard. ‘TIs a shame that FitsNews has no criteria for banning people who cannot understand how to Google and find out that the federal gas tax has NOT increased since 1993: http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/infrastructure/191758-bill-filed-to-hike-gas-tax Thus it is absolutely NOT true (even in your mind) that (as you say and no one agrees with) “Obama has ALREADY imposed a $1.50 a gallon tax or more for all of his presidency.” Horse hockey!
Punishing the people, to feed your GREED, is not an option…
You HATE that anyone says what you don’t want to hear…especially when I speak for most of the people. And you represent the ideology of Failed politicians and a disgusting political party, that is out of touch w/ reality….
You know the main difference in the roads of South and North Carolina, besides the fact that NC”s are fabulous?
.35 cents per gallon tax.
Haley wants Obama to be her sugar daddy, as much as she professes she dislikes him it’s pretty hilarious.
Obama’s profession is Community Organizer. That some-beech has NOTHING to give her, that he did not take from the people.
So you need to STFU to keep from looking ignorant…Obama is nothing but but a F*#k Up…His bumbling of the economy has COST us more money than he could EVER pay back, in a million years…
Well, given that most in SC feel the same was as you – it’s a pretty certain bet that even Lindsey Graham won’t be able to get any of the “free” FeeMa cash. Looks like SC has SCrewed itself again. But hey, it’s a great day to be in South Carolina – where we’re planning on become eco friendly and using dirt roads. Dang – we need more Federal aid than Ukraine. What’s wrong with us?
You live under the ownership of Barack Obama…I’ll choose freedom, notmatter how much it costs, And I’ll tell you and Obama to get F*#ked……But at least you admit your lord-god is taking the money of ALL taxpayers…to reward or punish, based on his corrupt political hatred..
And it’s ignorant F*#k ups like you who are the reason Patriots went to war vs England. You take what is not yours, to control. Free people have Killed Slave-Owners like you throughout time…You filthy, Liberal Slave-owning Piece of S#!*…
My father’s family lost four sons to the English in 1770s and their father was killed by the British in front of his house – and two others died kicking the crap out of Slave owning Southerner’s like yourselves. My only tear for what happened to SC when Sherman marched through was he should have started the fire near Hardeville and let it burn all the way to the NC border, from Pee Dee to the mountains. His mistake.
Of course – if ignorance was based on the use of profanity you’d be the most ignorant of them all. Don’t ya think?
As for Obama giving South Carolina free dibs on the tax payer money from hard working educated states like Florida, NY, PA, IL, etc – hey – ya’ll say you don’t need it – life in SC is like Eden with everyone having healthcare access like you wouldn’t believe, and lots of freedom and liberty to marry cows and pigs and such – so fix your own run-down out-of-date highways. You know what people hate most about driving from Florida to the Northeast. When the cross the Savannah River and the highway goes from six lanes to four, and the local people make you think you are in a time warp back to 1980.
I don’t give a F*#k about the ancient history of your family, you self-righteous, bragging piece of $#!*…
I was not born with a silver spoon. …It’s liberal Yuppies like you, riding on the past exploits CLAIMED by your ancestors, who try to impose your will on those of us who have had to work in MODERN HISTORY…
PS: Obama thinks you are a RAPIST European who killed your way to the top…Now it’s his turn to get REVENGE on trash like you…I may agree w/ him this time…
I was not born with a silver spoon
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it must have been hell crawling out of that outhouse in the middle of the winter.
I kinda resent that statement, all the while agreeing with it.
Just don’t tell any more of your Yankee buddies about Edisto.
There’s already too many that know about our “little Eden”.
I’m better than you because I can see that both Tricky Nikki AND the Obumbler are criminals. Oh, and I GUARANTEE I’m better prepared for ANYTHING than you are. Melon Labe, punk!
Damn spell check….
Of course: …you’re going to give your vote to Steve French…What a F*#king Genius you must be…Good luck w/ that…Hahahaha..
PS: Do yall rape your daughters in those underground bunkers you nut-jobs live in???…And are you going to ask Obama to let you get married, too???
Your comments might be more effective if you didn’t curse all the time. Also you might want to add some facts in your tirades. Your kind of Psychotic rambling verges on hysteria.
First you say cursing is the problem, or it would be OK. Then you claim I don’t use facts and call it a “tirade.” that is “Psychotic rambling “verging” (what?) on hysteria”…
When a Dumbass tries to turn critic, it so revealing of your level of intellect….
You are all over the road…do you think it would be smart to take any of your advice????…You seem a bit lost (if not stupid) in your ability to analyze “effectively.”
Oh my.
You realize that the first question they ask you at the Gates to Heaven is “are you an a$$hole” – you planning on getting in?
You run your mouth,,,then squeal after getting th $#!* slapped out of you for it. Typical liberal…
You want the rights, but not the responsibility.
Sticks and stones Einstein.
She loves those bailouts, just like all your other brainless tea-bagger sisters and brothers. And you all fall for it like the inbred hicks you are. They play you all for fools. Maybe for no reason at all she will tell you again how she hates unions in SC. And you will lap it up. And vote for her along with the rest of your low-information lemmings. Now wait till Monday till your pupper master Rush tells you how to think.
“Low information lemmings”. Now there’s a nice turn of a phrase. And very accurate as well.
Her only hope is that Barry gets hard up for a f&*k buddy.
Why would he need one?…he has done that to the whole country for 5-plus years.
Money is better pantie peeler than tequila.
Shifty Says:
The difference between rape and seduction is – Salesmanship..!!
I thought it was 5 years to life.
Not a good analogy, as rape is a crime of violence and of control. Try to be a bit sensitive as you discuss politics. Geeze…
“….SCDOT is currently run by Haley’s former college roommate…..”
What a fucking criteria to be in charge of a major State Agency
Maybe next week the lady that does the Gypsy Queen’s toe nails will be named to replace the batshit crazy over at DSS
Roll on Gypsy Queen Dooh Nibor, roll on dammit !!
Christy, the college roomate, looks like a lesbian. Is she?
Well, she “assumed the position”
Why would you NOT put the people you know best in positions where you need leadership….???
You sound like a Dumb@$$…you just go out in the streets, and hire the first idiot you see…Sounds like how Obama must run his shop, and why he is such a F*#k up…
Why would you NOT put the people you know best in positions where you need leadership….???
——
never lend money to your friends.
familiarity breeds contempt.
So only hire people you are not familiar with????LMAO…I take it you’ve NEVER had a real job…You may be the biggest Dumb@$$ going…A typical Obama voter…
She also has an unqualified former DOT manager, as Exec. Director of the B&C Board (Marsha Adams)! Kitzman was bad enough, now little “Dumpy”!
Haley cannot govern, she is clueless.
Obama’s second term has proven to be a worse mistake than the first! Let’s not make the same mistake with Haley!
Send her packing. It will be a “Great Day In SC”!
All of her cabinet agencies are run by idiots who can’t wipe their ass without her permssion.
I gotta say, Haley looks like she belongs in those clothes.
Yeah, orange prison jump suit!
I have having nightmares about NIMRATA’ “bustin’ a sag”.
NIKKI HALEY ONLY CARES ABOUT NIKKI HALEY!
And, all this time SCDOT has been spending months at a time building traffic circles all across the state instead of 4 way stops which can be completed with 2 more stop signs in the ground. Go figure.
Man look at that nose!
She could smuggle half a kilo in that honker!
would you buy it after learning the delivery mechanism?
NOPE!
Ravanel would.
If our elected representatives dare to defy We The People, and raise gasoline taxes, the backlash upon them could be very very severe, indeed. Diverting all of the state money for highways to the boondoggle 526 extension helped to bring this on. Thanks to Bobby “jailbird” Harrell, Mayor Joe “Blow” Riley, and the notorious corrupt “Charleston County Council” and Chip “Dipshit” Limehouse.
Sadly: to the left, the federal gov’t…and their control over OUR money..is their god. And many in the state may be stupid enough to try to impose their belief in taking MORE of IOUR money. What Obama has done to us gets some of these idiots off…believe it or not,.
Traffic circles…LoL. They are “rotary’s”. A simple truth is all paved roads need resurfacing every ten years. They also need to be striped. It takes ten years to resurface all of our roads. Not only that, a French conglomerate owns Sloan Construction and Reeves Paving. In essence, our paving and resurfacing tax dollars are going to France.
We have money for Obamacare, Solyndra, Baby Mamas, Projects, IRS Targeting agents, GM Union, Obama phones…but can’t pay to maintain for the roads the people who actually WORK and pay taxes
When people begin to focus on the REAL problem…we may begin to solve the problem…
1-You do not work.
2- You do not pay taxes.
3-You collect Medicaid.
4-The real problem is idiots like yourself.
Ahhh…the myths the liberals must perpetuate to live w yourselves…you ignorant mother*+#*r..I come from a background where me and my family had to work twice as hard to get half as far… in a South that hates white males..while dumba$$#$ like you got insider jobs…and assuaged your guilt w Affirmative Action programs for black leaders who hate me like you hate yourself for the spineless coward you are.
LMFAO! Go ahead and blame the white man…
The fact that you draw that conclusion, identifies you as one of the simple-minded to whom I’m referring.
I have an idea. Lets legalize marijuana (like everyone is about to do anyways) and use the millions of dollars saved on not locking harmless people up to the tune of 20K per year, couple that with the millions of dollars in tax revenue from MJ sales and income tax from the jobs it creates, and put that all toward our roads. May not pay it all but it would be a start.
All those people employed selling weed now are not going to get legal jobs. They are too lazy for that. They will just move on to selling cocaine or heroine or stealing copper.
All those people employed selling weed now are not going to get legal jobs. They are too lazy for that. They will just move on to selling cocaine or heroine or stealing copper.
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What will make them stop selling weed? Pot smokers are too lazy to go to the store to get it.
Right. You also can’t rail against the man shooting a bird online and buy taxed weed legally at a store.
Completely harmless, yet now a contributing member of the consumer class.
I have a good friend who works for SCDOT. From what he tells me, employees don’t show up on time, take longer for lunch than the time they are given, don’t leave the shop yard until an hour after they get to work, stop and have breakfast before they get to their work areas and much more. He said a contractor will do just about the same amount of work in two weeks that the SCDOT crew will do in a year. We need to privatize SCDOT.
Have you forgotten to reprint the story on how lower state unemployment numbers are bad news. It’s been a week since new figures came out.
Renominated. Re-elected. All the sheep say “baaa.”
Haley is a one person disaster area.
The problem is that here in the UpState, people just do not get the news.
They think Haley is wonderful.
Until you tell them what’s actually going on with her administration.
Then they are usually shocked.
The public needs the news about Haley and her witchery.
Unless, some group (no help from the worthless SC Democratic Party) can get the word out to the people about Haley. We are going to have Haley as our Governor again. Then after Scott gets out of the way: Haley will be elected US Senator.
A disaster not only for South Carolina, but also for the United States and the whole world.
Why don’t you support the increase in gas taxes or the maximum ($300) sales tax on an automobile then? If it is broke, what can fix it besides good management, which I do not think that Nikki Haley is capable of, AND more $$$.