Tuesday’s election results have left us disappointed at the prospects for our transportation system. But, the people have spoken and we respect their decision. Despite the missed opportunity, I applaud the effort of MoDOT and all those who worked tirelessly to present this to the voters.
The pundits will debate the causes and the campaign team will reassess their strategies. But as I mentioned at our monthly Commission meeting yesterday, nothing has changed at MoDOT. We have the same responsibilities and the same limited budget we did on Tuesday. Our task remains the same: keeping the system in the best possible condition we can for as long as we can with the resources available, emphasizing safety and providing outstanding customer service. I can assure you that the Missouri Department of Transportation will stick to its priorities and stay on course.
I can also assure you we are going to continue the drum beat of the need for new funding. We discovered in this process that our state is united in its recognition of the importance of transportation, but divided on how to fund it. The ¾-cent sales tax received bipartisan support in the Legislature and across-the-board support from a diverse array of leaders, organizations and associations, but this support did not filter down to the voter.
We must continue working to find a solution to this problem – and one the voter can understand and embrace – because the need for maintenance and improvement of our transportation system is only going to intensify in the future. We can’t keep deferring tough problems for our children and grandchildren to solve.
I greatly appreciate the support you have shown for transportation, and welcome any suggestions you may have for the future.
Together, we’ll find a solution. We must. The issue is too important to Missouri’s future.
Sincerely,
Stephen R. Miller
Chairman