Background: In the latest budget deal between the Republicans and Democrats, the two parties agreed to rescind (read: take back) $2.5 billion in unspent federal transportation funds. (Note, if Maryland spent it’s Federal money it would not be asked to give it back.)
I don’t know what Maryland will rescind this time but the last round it was $12 million from Transportation Enhancements (TE). That’s 3-4 years worth of bike/ped projects from the TE fund per Maryland’s six-year Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP).
The last conversation with MDOT was that Maryland does spend all its TE money which conflicts with the following report:
My main position is Maryland can do more, a lot more for bicyclists and pedestrians with TE and CMAQ (Congestion Management and Air Quality) funds then just give it back to the Feds. Read More for the League of American Bicyclists alert:
| Your state DOT may be ready to cut millions in bicycle and pedestrian funding |
Take Action!
|
| Contact your Governor today! |
| |
|
In the latest budget deal between the Republicans and Democrats, the two parties agreed to rescind (read: take back) $2.5 billion in unspent federal transportation funds. Your state DOT has the power to decide which funds they send back. And based upon history we know what happens next.
Your state DOT may try to empty out the funds that pay for your sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and education programs.
We have seen this before, and it is happening again.
Last year, when states had to send back $2.2 billion in transportation funds, almost half of that money came from programs that fund bicycling and walking projects. See our Rescissions FAQs for more information.
Please contact your Governor today to tell them this is wrong. Funding cuts for the rescission should be fair and proportional across the board.
Thank you in advance for your help !
|
|
oldId.20110421170718302
I got a call from Swaim Staley’s office in which the gentlemen said " We are not targeting TE or CMAQ funds for recisions, we will not be using TE or CMAQ funds for recisions any more than other funds." of course he also spent 5 min telling me how their TE and CMAQ funds do get spent and are good bang for their buck projects….and…and…said that they recognize they have allready got all the low-hanging fruit with their 50% local match requirement and are "looking hard" at changing it, that they "might be making changes to the local match requirement" and "recognize it has cause some projects to go unfunded" but also made it sound like local officials have often fallen short of their match and that they cant start a project and not finish it. Somewhat defensive. Claimed that "some bicycle groups" have "claimed that TE funds are being targeted for recision and that absolutely is not true."
my $0.02
maybe not ‘targeted’ but perhaps they just "happen" to have lots left over after the 50% match kills every project