Editorial: Compacts are bad, Proposition 70 is bad

Monday, October 11, 2004  

"Schwarzenegger cut deals with five tribes in which each would pay varying amounts up to 25 percent of their winnings to the state in exchange for allowing them to expand their casinos. Under the deal, the tribes will float a $1 billion bond and hand the proceeds over to the state for roads thus tying future funding directly to gambling. This policy is in desperate need of a retrofit.

How bad is it? Since 2002, the state has borrowed $6 billion from the transportation fund to offset the budget deficit. Yet the tribal compacts will generate only $180 million a year -- a pittance for a state that suffers from the nation's worst traffic congestion.

Does our self-styled, pro-business governor not see the problems inherent in workers being delayed on their commute because there isn't enough money for highway construction and road repair? California simply cannot afford to drain money set aside for transportation projects, especially now that Congress is a year late on a federal transportation bill that would ease the funding crunch."

Get the Story:
Editorial: State going down bad road (The San Francisco 10/10)