OLIVER: HIGHWAY OFFICIALS DESERVE PRAISE FOR HONESTY

Highway Commission Vice Chairman John Oliver of Cape Girardeau said people like Rep. Larry Thomason should praise the highways department for admitting its mistakes, not attack it.

"I don't understand politicians like that. How has he been deceived?" asked Oliver.

"We made a mistake, we caught it, and we owned up to it. When was the last time the Missouri legislature did that?"

Oliver said he does not understand how Missouri Highways and Transportation Department officials can be criticized for not asking for enough money. He said highway officials did not follow the normal course of government officials in asking for more than twice what they need in the hopes of receiving half, and then squandering most of that away.

"How can you complain because we didn't ask for enough?" asked Oliver.

Thomason said that then-Gov. John Ashcroft and highway officials were telling legislators bypassing a vote of the people and imposing the tax increase would make a specific plan reality. He also charged that highway officials have deliberately circumvented the will of HB-1247, which enacted the gas tax.

"I don't have a problem with some flexibility in the plan, but we have a situation here where they tell us they will do this plan, and now we find out they won't have the money for it," said Thomason.

Oliver said one reason highway funds are short is because of interference by the legislature.

He said it enacted a pension increase last session that the highway commission opposed and wound up costing the department $23 million. A constitutional amendment was sent to voters and approved, which increased the counties' share of the 6-cent gas tax from 10 to 15 percent, taking funds from the plan.

Thomason said the department supported the pension increase and told legislators that raising the counties' share would not affect the 15-year plan. He recalled that highway officials agreed to raise the counties' share to get support for the plan from county officials.

Thomason also said Oliver is indicative of an attitude problem top officials of the highway department have.

"The everyday employees are fine, but the commission and top echelon administrators in the department have real attitude problems," Thomason said.

Oliver said none of the state gas tax money has been wasted. He praised the department for trying to find ways to be more efficient and react to changing patterns of federal funding.

"We need more people in government like the people working in the highway department, not less," said Oliver.

Lew Hancock, assistant division engineer for the department, said groups he has discussed the shortfall with have been supportive of the department.

He met last week with representatives of highway corridor coalitions around the state to tell them of the 15-year plan review and concerns about a shortfall.

"They were pleased with what had been accomplished and were glad that we had done our study and raised concerns. Nobody sounded alarmed by how big the numbers are," said Hancock.

Thomason doubts legislators will be as compassionate.

One option to make up the shortfall is to increase revenue through an increase in the state sales tax or fuel tax. Thomason predicted certain death for any tax increase plan proposed by the highway department.