Barry Peters is proposing a new car tax to fund basic road maintenance and repairs. The City Council should reject Mr. Peters’ proposal because the city already has substantial revenue streams that are dedicated to transportation projects.

In 2004 the City Council adopted budget policies that require the city to spend a minimum of $1.6 million each year on road maintenance and non-motorized projects.

To fund these projects the council dedicated all revenues from the commercial parking tax and the city parking lot.

These budget policies have never been changed and they appear in the 2009-2010 draft budget.

Unfortunately, the mayor and the council are now preparing a budget that provides zero dollars for road maintenance and non-motorized projects in 2009.

They have intentionally unfunded these basic and essential government services in order to justify the need for a new tax.

Where have all the parking revenues gone? Why is the council ignoring its own budget policies?

Why doesn’t the city work on improving efficiency and reducing costs rather than finding new ways to tax its citizens?

Bob Scales

Madison Avenue