JACKSON — Here’s the challenge for the five candidates running in Tuesday’s primaries for two seats on Mississippi’s Transportation Commission: Officials say Mississippi needs $400 million more each year to maintain current roads and bridges.
With the Mississippi Economic Council studying needs and funding sources, 2016’s Legislature could debate raising taxes, and the three Transportation Department leaders could be key figures.
“We do have more needs than resources, there’s no doubt about it,” said Republican Mike Tagert of Starkville, an incumbent being challenged by Jimmie Mills of Tupelo. The winner of that race in the 31-county northern district will face Democrat Danny Woods of Winona in the Nov. 3 general election.
In the central district, three Democrats are running — Robert Amos of Jackson, Mary Coleman of Jackson and Natasha Magee-Woods of Madison. If none wins a majority, an Aug. 25 runoff will determine who faces incumbent Republican Dick Hall of Brandon.
Struggles with highway funding have become more apparent in recent years. Farmers complain that weight limits on deteriorating bridges hamper trucking graint o the Mississippi River.
Transportation officials have increasingly been chip-sealing state highways — a short-term cover of tar and small rocks — saying they can’t afford asphalt. County bridges occasionally collapse.
Tagert said the Transportation Department has reworked priorities to focus on safety and maintenance. He said raising fuel taxes would be the “fairest” way to fund roads but lawmakers don’t seem to support that option. “I don’t think there’s any political will to do that,” he said.
Both Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves have voiced opposition to raising Mississippi’s gasoline tax, which has been at 18.4 cents per gallon since lawmakers passed the state’s four-lane highway program in 1987. Lawmakers did agree this year to use existing casino taxes to borrow $200 million for bridge work.
Mills also opposes higher taxes, saying he believes the department remains inefficient. “I really don’t think we’re getting the most for our money,” he said.
The candidate says the department should study building roads that last longer.
“They try to do it the cheapest way to get the most mileage to get the most votes,” Mills said.
In the 22-county central district, Coleman and Magee-Woods say more money is needed.
“We’re going to have to find other revenue in other areas to fund roads and bridges,” said Magee-Woods, who says her background in environmental science and law equips her for the commission. “I know that is an issue that many voters may not want to hear.”
Coleman, a 21-year veteran of the state House, said she’s running to become the first woman and African-American to ever sit on the commission. She expressed confidence that voters would accept higher taxes to fund a well-defined program.
“Citizens don’t mind paying for something if they know what they’re getting,” she said.
Amos, though, said he’s more concerned about a department that seems to favor spending in Republican suburbs over Democratic areas.
“There are various counties that get more of the share of the pie than others are getting,” he said, citing improvements to Airport Road in Rankin County as one example.
“I can’t go along and say we need more funds, because the ones that need it aren’t getting it,” Amos said, calling for continued study of funding instead.
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