| The Interstate Highway System was created to support rapid
deployment of military resources in case of emergency. As national defense
cannot be accomplished effectively by the states separately, this was an
appropriate use of federal money. Enhancing the transportation system for
non-defense purposes is better managed by state governments. As a
Congressman, I would focus on lowering or eliminating federal taxes
associated with transportation, such as the federal gas tax. | In the 4th District the two transportation projects that we
need to develop is a Purple Line that links Eastern Montgomery County and
College Park in the north and metrorail across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
that connects National Airport, Andrews Air Force Base and National Harbor
in the south. These projects will help ease traffic congestion by
increasing the use and versatility of public transportation and will
improve local air quality. To say nothing of the fact that building,
maintaining and running these projects will create thousands of new jobs in
our district. In order to pay for these projects Congress needs to
reconfigure its budget priorities. For too long funding for public
transportation projects, healthcare and the environment have taken a back
seat to an Iraq War boondoggle, tax cuts for the wealthy and subsidies for
fossil fuel industries. We must invest in public transportation to improve
quality of life, environmental stewardship and economic prosperity.
| Other than bridges between Maryland and other States, there is
no lawful Federal responsibility. The bulk of the gas tax should go to the
states. Gas and property taxes are more than adequate to fund these
projects. A Congressperson should have no more ability to decide
which projects get funding than any other citizen of Maryland. State and
local elected officials should decide. If we are still shorton
funds, then Congress should issue money directly from the treasury and make
interest-free loans to the states for such infrastructure projects. Such
loans should be proportioned to the states based on population. This would
mean that all public infrastructure would cost roughly half of what it does
now. This proposal, known as the Sovereignty proposal, has been signed by
over 3000 local governments.
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