All Posts Tagged With: "roads"

Blindly partisan crusaders typically don’t let the facts get in the way of their crusades. It’s as true here in the Oklahoma blogosophere as it is anywhere. It’s frequently comical, but more often pitiful. In any case, it certainly diminishes the credibility of the blogger who makes statements of fact that are, in fact, not fact. Take for example, this statement:

Liberal democratic courts have allowed the turn pike authority and a few others to unconstitutionally incur liability and debt to the state

Aside from the reality that Oklahoma’s courts are hardly “liberal,” even if some of the judges and justices have been appointed by Democratic governors, the statement of fact about the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is, in fact, not fact. The Authority does not, in fact, incur liability and indebtedness to the state.

The Authority is authorized to construct, maintain, repair and operate turnpike projects at locations authorized by the Legislature of the State of Oklahoma and approved by the State Department of Transportation. The Authority receives revenues from turnpike tolls and a percentage of the turnpike concession sales. The Authority may issue Turnpike Revenue Bonds for the purpose of paying the costs of turnpike projects and Turnpike Revenue Refunding Bonds for the purpose of refunding any bonds of the Authority then outstanding. Turnpike Revenue Bonds are payable solely from the tolls and other revenues of the Authority and do not constitute indebtedness of the State.

The Authority receives no tax money to operate its turnpikes. Turnpike revenues pay all operating and maintenance costs for the turnpikes and pay off the bonds issued to finance their construction.

In fact, the Authority actually puts money into the state budget for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Besides being an alternative to state funded roads, state-maintained roads receive motor fuel tax money generated by those driving on turnpikes. Under the Authority’s Enabling Act, and amendments thereto, a portion of the motor fuel excise taxes collected on fuels consumed on the turnpikes is made available to the OTA from the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Since July 1, 1992, the motor fuel tax monies have been apportioned to the OTA on the first day of each calendar month. All motor fuel taxes apportioned to the OTA are available to fund debt service; to the extent monies are not otherwise available. If such motor fuel excise taxes apportioned to the OTA are not necessary in such month, the fuel tax monies shall be paid over immediately to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Since 1992, the Authority has received, and immediately remitted to ODOT over $365 million.

The OTA’s turnpikes actually bring funds into the state…

Roughly 40% of the toll revenues collected on OTA turnpikes is generated from out-of-state motorists. If tolls were eliminated, the State would have to spend at least $93 million per year from gasoline taxes to maintain existing turnpikes, necessitating a tax increase.

And the Authority also helps fund the Oklahoma Highway Patrol…

Oklahoma’s turnpikes also pay in excess of $13 million per year for salaries and cars for the Highway Patrol Officers assigned to these roads. Without toll revenues, Oklahoma would have to pay for these troopers out of tax dollars.

So, the fact is that the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority doesn’t incur liability and indebtedness to the state, but actually brings in assets and revenues to the state. If anti-liberal crusaders want to credit the “liberal democratic courts” for that, I’m okay with that and I’m sure they would be too.