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Department of Transportation (DOT)
The Governor funds DOT operations for FY 2010 basically at their request level. This money is from the Road Use Tax Fund; it does not come from the general fund. It includes $302.4 million from the Primary Road Fund and another $51.4 million from the Road Use Tax Fund.
Infrastructure & Capitals
This budget bill contains no general fund dollars. It provides appropriations from the following funds:
1. RIIF (Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) – Created in FY 1996, receives revenues from the interest on the cash reserve and economic emergency funds (our rainy day funds), and taxes on gaming facilities. For FY 09, the Governor recommends $223.4 million; for FY 10, recommends $194.8 million.
2. TRF (Technology Reinvestment Fund) - Created in FY 07, receives revenues from a $17.5 million standing appropriation from the general fund (however, this was funded from RIIF in FY 09). For FY 10, Governor recommends $14.5 million from RIIF.
3. RCF (Restricted Capital Fund) – Created in FY 02, received $540 million in tax-exempt bond proceeds as a result of securitizing the tobacco settlement proceeds. Funded at $3.3 million in FY 09. For FY 10, the fund is basically depleted.
4. RC2 (Endowment for Iowa’s Health Restricted Capitals Fund) – Created in FY 06, received $100.5 million in tax-exempt bond proceeds as a result of refinancing the bond proceeds from RCF. Funded at $103.8 million in FY 07 (including the $37 million for the new state office building); $1.4 million for FY 08; and the Governor recommends $5.1 million for FY 09, which basically depletes the fund.
5. RC3 (FY 2009 Restricted Capital Fund) – Created in FY 09, to receive the net proceeds of securitizing the remaining 22% of the tobacco settlement. The bonds were not issued last fall due to the capital market disruption. The Legislature appropriated $182 million from this fund. The Governor is recommending appropriating $156 million of these projects from his $700 million infrastructure bonding proposal (see below).
6. PBF (FY 2009 Prison Bonding Fund) – Created in FY 09, to receive $131 million in tax-exempt bond proceeds as a result of issuing two series of bonds in 2009 and 2011. This fund will pay for the new prison at Fort Madison. The Governor recommends no changes to this fund.
For FY 2009:
- New State Office Building. The Governor cuts the $37 million appropriation for the new state office building from the RC2 fund and does not provide the $20 million from the RC3 fund.
- Transfers $37 million from RIIF to the general fund to help balance the budget.
- Moves FY 09 projects funded by RIIF to the RC2 fund (to replace the $37 million reduction), including the biomedical discovery building at the University of Iowa, the biorenewables building at Iowa State University, the accelerated career education (ACE) capitals, and the Department of Public Safety fire training facilities.
- Honey Creek State Park. Appropriates $4.9 million from RIIF, as a supplemental, to pay for the cabins at Honey Creek Resort State Park. This had been funded by the RC3 fund, but because the tobacco settlement was not securitized this past fall, there is no money. This appropriation ensures Honey Creek will get the money to pay for the cabins, which are set to open late spring/early summer.
- RC3 projects funded from $700 million bond proposal. The Governor’s $700 million bonding proposal (see below) includes most of the projects funded by the Legislature last year as part of RC3 (approximately $156 million). At this time, the remaining $544 million is not spelled out as to how the funds would be dispersed. The Governor’s office has said they should have a bill proposal soon. The Governor made the following changes from what the Legislature appropriated last year from RC3:
- Eliminates the $20 million for the new state office building.
- Eliminates the $4.9 million for Honey Creek Resort State Park (funds from RIIF).
- Eliminates the $100,000 for the Veterans memorial plaza in Dubuque (the Department of Veterans Affairs has already funded this through other unused moneys they had available).
- Adds $2.1 million for the Community Base Corrections facility in Davenport.
- Adds $3 million for the agriculture exhibition center at the State Fair (from $5 million to $8 million).
- Adds $500,000 for the Mercy Capital building purchase (from $3.4 million to $3.9 million).
- Reduces capital complex electrical distribution by $3.62 million (from $4.47 million to $850,000).
- Reduces capital complex utility tunnel system by $3.76 million (from $4.76 million to $1 million).
For FY 2010:
- Bond Repayments. The Governor recommends dedicating $56 million of gaming tax receipts for bond repayments on his $700 million infrastructure bonding proposal. This funding would be taken off the top prior to the money being deposited into RIIF. This appropriation is needed every year for 20 years to pay off the bond debt.
- Highlights from RIIF:
- There were numerous items funded in RIIF in the past that are not being funded in the Governor’s budget for FY 10. The Governor’s office said these items could be funded from their $700 million bonding proposal.
- New State Office Building. Appropriates $5 million (new appropriation; recommends de-appropriating all previous money).
- Capitol Shuttle. Not funded (funded at $170,000 in FY 09).
- Historical Preservation Grant Program. Not funded (funded at $1 million in FY 09).
- Battle Flags. Not funded (funded at $220,000 in FY 09).
- Great Places. Funds at $1.9 million (funded at $2 million in FY09).
- Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) program. Funds at $10 million (funded at $12 million in FY 09).
- River Enhancement Community Attraction and Tourism program. Not funded (last year earmarked $10 million for this new program).
- Grow Iowa Values Fund. Funds at $47.5 million (funded at $50 million in FY 09).
- DED Targeted Industries Infrastructure. Not funded (funded at $900,000 in FY 09).
- DED/Community Colleges Workforce Training and Economic Development. Not funded (funded at $2 million in FY 09).
- Wastewater Financial Assistance Grants. Not funded (funded at $3 million in FY 09).
- Environment First Fund. Funds at $42 million (same as FY 09).
- Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) Grants. Not funded (funded at $5 million in FY 09).
- DNR Floodplain Management/Dam Safety. Appropriates $3 million (new appropriation).
- State Housing Trust Fund. Funds at $3 million (same as FY 09).
- Enrich Iowa Libraries. Funds at $1 million (same as FY 09).
- Regents Tuition Replacement. Funds at $24.3 million (same as FY 09).
- Recreational Trails (DOT). Not funded (funded at $3 million in FY 09).
- Rail Assistance. Not funded (funded at $2 million in FY 09).
- County Fairs. Not funded (funded at $1.59 million in FY 09).
$700 Million Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Investment Program
The Governor recommends creation of this program to stimulate the economy, create jobs, build and rebuild much needed infrastructure throughout the State, and continue to provide relief to those areas hit by the 2008 natural disasters. The program would be financed through the issuance of 20-year tax-exempt bonds, secured by $56 million in gaming tax receipts. He said this takes advantage of an all-time low interest-rate environment. He also said this is being done at a time when Iowa enjoys its highest bond rating and has one of the lowest amounts of public debt of any state in the nation.
This program is to provide funding for the construction of ready-to-go projects such as housing, trails, highways, roads and bridges, mass transit, railways, airports, water quality and wastewater treatment improvements, flood control improvements, flood rebuilding, energy infrastructure, disaster-relief infrastructure, public education facilities, university facilities affected by the natural disasters, public buildings, and other public infrastructure projects.
Eligibility criteria for new projects would include:
1. Readiness to proceed with project.
2. How quickly can the project be started and completed.
3. Number of jobs to be created by the project.
4. Contribution to sustainability.
This program also includes those projects intended to be funded from the tobacco securitization not completed last year due to the capital market disruption (RC3 – FY 2009 Restricted Capital Fund).
Governor Culver recommends the creation of a Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Authority to administer the program. It would include five members: State Treasurer, Director of the Iowa Finance Authority, Director of the Department of Management, and two public members. The Iowa Finance Authority would staff the program and distribute the grants.
Staff Contact: Mary Braun
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Why would they not at least fund the Battle Flags project at a minimal amount to keep the conservation staff on? If you lose those specific skills now, it will cost a lot more in future years if the state resumes the project to recruit and train new staff.
I know this one is on everyone’s list! How many DOT workers does it take to patch a hole? Or to paint the lines on a highway? It looks SO BAD to see one person working while several others just stand around…
Cut back on the anount of printing the DOT does. They print over 3000+ copies of it insider and most of the employees read it online 2 week before the printed copy come out. You can save $ and a few trees
How can anyone or department in the state of Iowa merit a budget increase this year with our current economy. A 2% increase in a budget is not a budget cut. It is a +2% increase (meaning more then what you had before). All departments should budget this year for 0% increase for one year. (Next year you can debate your 2% increase budget cuts.)
Lets try cutting back on the ditch mowing. I live in Polk county and maintain my own acreage yet the county will still comes by to mow my ditch? Do we really need the ditch to look pretty for motorists? Perhaps if we would mow less more wildlife would return to the state.
Bike trails are fun for my family to ride on but when we have pot holes in every street and sidewalks falling apart, I find it hard to believe the state can justify the cost for maintaining and expanding these trails. Lets try and take a year off of the trails and focus back on the roads and sidewalks.
Stop all subsidies for Ethanol. Every Ethanol plant in the stat is running a 0% profit at $3/bushel corn. A business that is not profitable will fail. Why should this “business” be any different. It will only get worse when corn prices go back up. Cut your losses now and walk away from the Ethanol Gambling Table. This was a bad idea to begin with. Burring food to make fuel will produce only two things: 1-bad fuel and 2-expensive food.
Lower the state income tax: (you will recoup it with your sales tax so calm down) This would give us more money to spend on local businesses filling the coffers of local government and the stat ultimately.
Make July a Sales Tax Holiday on all new cars and trucks. The more new cars people purchase, the more the state takes in on licensing fees.
Freeze the salaries of school administrators. 0% increase in pay for one year. If businesses in the state are forced into doing this then why not the state as well.
Help the courts unload some case load and supped or delay all child support cases for one year. Child support is not income. These kids will be fine if mom or dad has to tighten their budget for a year.
Why are we changing the license program to a more expensive program? People do not want to receive their driver’s licenses in the mail. At a time when we are cutting back, why not put on hold a program that increases costs until things get back on track?
I believe road building projects should be suspended–we have enough roads and highways. Use the DOT funds for road and bridge repair. Use road salt more sparingly, instead of resalting the same stretches over and over (note the white highways from too much salt).
This would not only save funds but road surfaces.
Anyone who thinks they have any idea about how many DOT employees it takes to do things, I invite you to come out and work the lines for a while. You have no idea how many it takes to be in compliance with traffic control rules or safe working rules. Anyone who wants to come plow snow, you come on out too. We are very limited in the materials we can use, yet everyone wants their roads to be perfect in the middle of every storm. We could reduce the amount of materials if the traveling public wasn’t so demanding. If you want to save money, start with reducing the amount of the travel expenses the state legislators get. I know one that has a house and residence in DSM, sent his kids to school in West DSM, yet represents southern Iowa, and claimed $18,000 of travel reimbursement last year, according to the DSM Register.
Eliminate the $1 million a mile on both sides of I-35 between Ames and Des Moines. It has proven to simply throw skidding drivers back into traffic and cause more and bigger accidents. Eliminate new road projects until federal money comes in.
I can think of at least 3 things off the top of my head.
1. Stop the Departments personnel from taking unnecessary trips into Ames for meetings. The Department has video conferencing access to all the Districts, the meetings can be held using that instead of having people drive to Ames to attend a 1 or 2 hour meeting.
2. Start using plans with less sheets in them, a HMA resurfacing, patching, shouldering and small uncomplicated projects do not need to have overhead plan sheets of the complete project length, tabulate the item and quantities and use notes to explain the intent, locations and show details only in areas that require details.
3. Carpool to projects sites, every inspection person on a project don’t need a vehicle dedicated to them every hour of every workday, especially when they are driving the distances they are currently driving to projects. Car pool to the project and leave additional vehicles if needed at the construction trailer site or other state, county or city sites to decrease the amount of total miles driven each day by field personnel who are working the same hours in the near proximity.
The same goes for engineers, maintenace supvisors and other employees traving to the city during the day.
Radically stop wasting money on needless insterstate expansions and install a light rail system throughout Iowa to ensure a cleaner and safer environment for us, our children, and our grandchildren.
Yes, let’s cut road spending. I can remember when Highway 163 was turned into a disaster zone for a year and what was the outcome? Nothing! The road is no better than it was before. Besides every other street in Des Moines is torn up for something. While were talking about cities mooching off of the state what about Ankeny? They’re pretty good about running to the congress whenever they get some goofy project in their minds (Prairie Trail anyone?)
As reported today in the Des Moines Register, the state is planning to build more noise barriers on I-235. This is not necessary spending. Either delay this project or plant some trees to absorb some of the noise. At least that would be the cheaper way to go. It would still provide jobs but at a much lower cost.
The Iowa D O T could pull all the “Cheese Slicer” cables and posts they installed from I-80 North to MM 103 I-35 and sell them for scrap and generate funds! The cables are to close to the travel lanes.
Review job titles and salaries of all state employees. Make sure they meet the quaifications and responsibilities for their current position. Review to ensure the majority are not above the mid-range salary of their position, only the top performers should be at the upper end of the salary range. With many long term employees there is tendancy for escalation in both the title and/or in the salary range.
Combine DOT and DPS. This would eliminate many supervisor/administrative positions and would eliminate duplicative duties. The state patrol has a unit solely responsible to enforce laws on semi-trucks, which I’m pretty sure the DOT already does. Why have supervisors enforcing troopers and then have another staff of supervisors watching over DOT officers. Seems you could combine the departments and have one supervisor to watch over them both without the additional cost. You could also combine them to save on employees in the payroll, accounting, and human resources departments.
There is too much duplication in state government and too many layers of management.
If an agency does not fill a position within a certain time period, take their alotted positions away. Open and vacant positions that remain unfilled are a slush fund for departments so that when a cut is made, they never have to make any real cuts because they get their “savings” from not filling the vacant positions. Seems like a scam/fraud to me! Then they cry to the public that the cuts are very painful and going to hurt the citizens…..SOOO far from the truth.
Raise the gas tax
COMBINE DOT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (STATE TROOPERS)!!!!
I am writing anonymous because I have an inside look at both these departments on a daily basis. The duties of a state trooper and a DOT commercial enforcement officer are almost exact in every way. They are both Certified Peace Officers through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. If I have my figures correct, the Iowa State Patrol has around 400 troopers covering the state. They are constantly running short, and never seem to have enough coverage to effectively keep the roadways of Iowa safe. By moving the DOT officers in with the state patrol, they could increase this number by 100 plus! Meaning, more traffic enforcement, fines issued to bring in revenue, and more accident and emergency response coverage! The DOT officers do exactly the same thing as a state trooper…….which is traffic enforcement and patrolling Iowa roadways. The state patrol has troopers assigned to a commercial vehicle enforcement (MCSAP) Unit that does nothing but enforce laws on the semi-trucks traveling through Iowa. Why do we have the state patrol doing this project, when that is the core function and full time job of the DOT officers? Seems to me that we are wasting a tremendous amount of taxpayer money when we duplicate the duties of these two departments! Combining the DOT and the Department of Public Safety would greatly benefit the budget of both departments. The DOT officers are extraordinarily knowledgeable on federal regulations and state traffic and criminal law. They would be a great asset to the Department of Public Safety (State Patrol) The DOT Officers already have the knowledge, equipment, and capability to make a smooth transition into the DPS. Many other states have already completed this task, and have had great success with the program. Kentucky DOT officers are going through the change as we speak. I urge Iowa to communicate with the other states around the nation, and ask them why they have decided to combine there DOT officers with their state patrol…..simply….because it works, saves money, and eliminates the duplication of duties, and creates a safer state for citizens. Other states have hired civilians (with no peace officer certification through a law enforcement academy) and placed them into the weigh stations around the state. This allows the weigh stations to be open more hours a day, possibly 24 hours everyday, and the scale operators can be paid a lower wage than the certified officers. Think of the revenue the state could generate with all the weigh stations being open 24 hours a day! The commercial vehicle traffic in Iowa is very prevalent, and lots of fines could be written to bring in much needed revenue from commercial vehicle companies that travel through Iowa from around the nation. Ask yourself…why are the weigh stations always closed? Lets get the weigh stations open, and running business! Why have we spent millions of dollars on these scales, and they are never open? WASTE OF MONEY IF NOBODY OPERATES THEM, AND USES THEM TO MAKE MONEY, AND THE ROADWAYS SAFER!!
Another point of interest is the amount of money that the DOT is wasting on their current leaders of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit. They are highly over paid for their duties, and are not really monitored that closely by the state government and legislators. They have a tremendous amount of employees running the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, overseeing the DOT Officers. They sit in fancy offices in the new Drivers License Station in Ankeny, and are not really held accountable for what they do on a day-to-day basis. If you monitor the state salaries website, you will see the extraordinary amount of money that these leaders leach from the motoring public and taxpayers. As I said before, they are very overpaid, and create anything they see fit to justify their jobs! IN A TIME OF ECONOMIC CRISIS, HOW IS IT THAT THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT JUST CREATES AN ADDITIONAL MAJOR OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS POSITION? This is a high paying job, and was not a necessity for the department or the citizens of Iowa. The poor taxpayers of Iowa were also forced to foot the bill for all the moving expenses for these top officials, generating thousands and thousands of wasted dollars! If you don’t believe me, check the state salaries website again…..huge waste of tax dollars!
I urge the citizens and lawmakers to take a serious look at the combining of the DOT Commercial Officers and the State Patrol (DPS). It really is in the best interest of the Iowa Economy and the safety of the citizens of Iowa…..if the state has a genuine interest in public safety. This merger has been attempted in the past, but was blocked and unsuccessful then. This time the state is in dire need of money and services, and needs to do more with the resources that we have…in a more efficient and effective manner. Please at least consider the idea, look at the figures, and I believe they will speak for themselves! The DOT Commercial Enforcement Leaders are going to tell you that it is not in the best interest of public safety and core duties, but this is because they don’t want to give up their high paying, comfortable jobs they have come to take for granted and advantage of at the taxpayers expense.
to many pet project from the dems or gop on four lane hi ways across the state ie hi ways 65,20,30 just to name a few. fix what we have first no new roads
No ditch mowing and less road side mowing. I understand the need for visibility, but that does not mean mowing the entire center of clover leafs and fence row to fence row on interstates. At one time a western state left the mowing to farmers who harvested the grass for their livestock, at no cost to the state – seems like a win-win. Sometimes the roadsides look worse after mowing, with shredded trash blowing about. If the roadsides are mowed only minmially for visibility it could encourage wild life and ground nesting birds. Please no mowing in the fall – what is the point?! the grass is dying.
Less salt on the highways – the pavement remains light colored days after the previous snow fall.
More teleconferences. Less driving hither and yon.
Why is the front license plate required on our cars and trucks? We could halve the cost of printing plates and reduce waste when plates are disposed of. Furthermore, many of us would be willing to pay an extra licensing fee to drop the front-plate requirement to maintain the aesthetic value of our automobiles. We don’t like spending tens of thousands of dollars on our cars, and then being required to drill into them to mount a front plate. (We already spend hundreds on wheel upgrades, window tinting, and other visual upgrades, so an extra “fee” to drop the front plate would be welcomed.)
The cost savings and any additional licensing income could be directed to road maintenance & improvements, and law enforcement salaries.
Thousands have already signed a petition for the state of Washington to adopt this same policy (http://www.petitiononline.com/wafrtplt/petition.html) — let’s be a trendsetter in these difficult times and show our Iowa common sense… this policy was harmless during prosperous times, but is wasteful and unnecessary given today’s environment.
As I mentioned once to Brad Zaun, who apparently didn’t get excited over the idea, steet legal registration for ATV’s. Many western states allow ATV’s on all public roads (except Interstate). There’s no difference between an ATV and motorcylce except they are bigger, more tires, more visible and likely safer. Most every ATV owner would gladly accept a substationally higher registration tax if the machines were allowed on public roads (plus you get to collect an ATV operators license!). I get about 40 mpg simulating city driving. Why not!?
This would be a quick cash injection that lasts year after year.
Don’t go to the no talent, no thought, uncreative gas tax increase. We’ll just buy less. Create a new tax people will enjoy paying!
BTW Susan you are right wait on the barriers but trees will not provide any noise reduction.
Bypass Cedar Rapids…thus not so much spent on redoing S curves……widen to 3 lanes from Cedar Rapids to North Liberty…give North Libery another exit/on ramp….
Eliminate the court system of the DOT
Who was the brilliant person in the light of budget constraints has decided to mail out all drivers licenses — at at cost of atleast $.84 to mail them plus all the problems associated with post box theft — how is this safer for identity theft?????
Get a clue!
Government employment should not be for life. All state employees should be hired for 2 year contracts. At the end of the two years, they could reapply for their position. They would have to compete with everyone else who is applying for the position too. This should ensure the best qualified people are employed by the private sector.
If flag preservation is zero-funded, don’t the flags need to be taken back up the hill to the Capitol? That can’t be cheap. It surely can’t be as cheap as using people whose training has already been paid for.
When we calculate the cost of items, we need to at least be cozignant of the cost to restart later. Sometimes it’s cheaper to keep going than to start and stop.
How about allowing state employees the OPTION of cutting their hours without the risk of being “part-time”? Part-time people are always the first to be let go so no one wants to be considered “part-time”. However, I think quite a few would cut to 32 hours with 80% of their pay and benefits if they had continued seniority and security.
ONLY PROVIDE ONE LICENSE PLATE PER VEHICLE. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER STATES SUCH AS MICHIGAN THAT HAVE ONLY ONE LICENSE PLATE PER VEHICLE. I KNOW PRISONERS MAKE THEM BUT THERE IS STILL THE COST OF MATERIALS AND PAINT, MACHINES , COMPRESSORS, ETC. MANY NEW CARS REALLY DO NOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE AREA IN THE FRONT BUMPER AREA ANYMORE FOR A LICENSE PLATE
Raise the Cost of Overweight permits, these guys are tearing up our roads. Increase fine amounts, especially on overweight fines. The trucker doesn’t obey the law he/she destroys the road, let them pay for the damage. The Courts increase their fees every so many years yet the base fine that goes into general revenue hasn’t. Take the weight fines out of general revenue and put it into road use fund. Again if the trucker damages the road he/she should help pay to fix it. Fine people who drive on roads and then get stuck when a No Travel Advised Advisory is posted. Motorist stay off the highways then plows could wait until after the storm to clean and remove in a more effecient manner. 90%of time is spent on 10% of the problemed population.
I am outraged by a story on KCCI.com Feb. 2 -’Instant Driver’s License Renewals May End’ – in these economic times-budget cuts-ideas needed to make government SAVINGS – this SPENDING action by the DOT is more than ridculous !!
BENEFITS outweigh the inconvenience – I think not: the COST of the paper certificate, the COST of the envelope, the COST of label and labeling, the COST in TIME, the COST of postage vs. each individual walking in having their picture taken-the driver’s license placed back into that individual’s hand !?!??!?! COST of verifying how else????
Officials saying there is no good way for the DOT or county officials to IMMEDIATELY VERIFY whether the documents they’re receivng are legitimate??? WHAT??? LEGITIMATE AMERICANS are to have a SS# and if they don’t – they shouldn’t be able to drive here and THEY should be able to immediately verify if that person is standing in front of them to have their picture taken. As far as driver’s address – heaven’s…people move!! That’s not new news!!!
There are MUTLIPLE driver’s licenses in different names – not if the SSN pops up TWICE !! and pray tell how MANY are out there to warrant the COST of change – how were these multiple licensed individual’s caught AFTER the fact??? Where there is a will, there is a way!
I agree with AMY – then there’s the safety factor of putting in the mail…I’m here to say that my mail goes to my neighbor or vise versa at least minimum 3 times a MONTH!!!
Stop mowing the ditches and medians except where it blocks the view at intersections. I never understood why they needed to be mowed anyway.
I feel that the roads that we have here and now should be taken care of. There shouldn’t be any new buildings built or new roads built. Take care of what is here and now.
Eliminate all personal vehicle mileage reimbursement. DOT has plenty of state vehicles.
Hiring freez on all vacancies.
Work with AFSCME on cost savings ideas.
Heave road use tax paid by semi drivers should go into the primary road fund, not the general fund.
Mandate all DOT employees to have direct deposit (reducing the cost of printing paychecks on special paper).
Quit building new roads – need to maintain the ones we have.
I think it is ludicrous for the DOT to spend MORE money mailing the new DL’s than it would cost just to hand them over the counter at the local DL station. To those of us who live in the rural areas of Iowa, we are well-known to the local Treasurer’s Office who handles DL testing and licensing. I doubt very many ID thefts occur out here.
It’s time to make farmers and construction companies buy a liscense for all those big tractors and combines they be driving on the road and tearing the roads ups. $50.00 a year for any self motorized construction / farm equipment. $25.00 for things like grain trailers, manure spreaders, or anything in tow of these vehicles. Have stickers that are sold at county court houses. Like a bumper sticker that must be on the vehicle in prominant site. Make the fine $150.00. Use that money for county roads that this equipment tears up. Don’t be raising the gas tax.
Idefinitely support the idea of increasing fines of truckers who are overweight, or otherwise operating illegally. They are causing damage to roads, as well as other safety risks. The taxpayer should not have to bear these costs or tolerate road damage which causes other safety problems and costs for vehicle damage.
Other states have tolls to go into their state to keep the roads up. Why doesn’t Iowa? It would not only create jobs, but keep some of the ones we have, and improve the terrible roads we have!
Revisit the use of salt and salt brine in winter operations. The front line management is not applying the brine and salt per our policy. There is not enough mid level management over site. Reduce mid level management.
In cities with multiple transportation agencies there should be group purchasing of gas and other items to decrease prices and shared jobs for mecahnics, fabricators, and others.
For example, in towns with a school district fleet of vehicles and road maintenance, city fleet and road maintenance, county fleet and road maintenance, and a DOT garage with a fleet and road mainrenance there should be shared purchasing to reduce prices and shared jobs.
Every one of these jurisdictions does not need to purchase gasoline separately, have its own mecahnics, and have its own metal fabricators.
Money can be saved with taking advantage of economies of scale.
Do away with the front license plates for all Iowa Registered Vehicles. This would reduce cost of the plates, mailing fees, and the cost to each new vehicle that requires the front plate mount. I am sure there would also be more cost reductions due to this change.
Have all car dealers (I am one) have a ‘title vault’ with the state; all inventory titles are filed with the state-for a small fee-and then can be transfered electronicly to other ‘title vaults’ or to the retail customer at the push of a button. Each dealer would hold title money in an escrow account held by their county. This gives the county more cash flow and the state could/would receive it’s retail registration faster. Plus, customers couldn’t ‘jump title’. It would aliminate the need for so many title clerks at the courthouse and would save the dealers a ton of time running to their courthouses and filling out needless paperwork. Plus, if Iowa figures this out first, I am sure you could sell the software to other states. Please bring this part of the process into this century. I would be happy to help. Please consider. Thanks.
Eliminate meal reimbursement, some DOT construction inspectors get paid for their meals everyday. This is a waste of taxes, we have to eat anyway so why pay us to do so.
Eliminate all personal vehicle mileage reimbursement. This is being abused. DOT has plenty of state vehicles
Reduce county seats to 25 and build modern courthouses with ample free parking.
Increase multipassenger intracity transportation, i.e., bus or train services.
Sell Terrace Hill and/or turn it into an admission-based museum and build a secure, economical, green house for the governor.
Discontinue KIOSKS and internet service at rest stops and/or upgrade to a coin-opperated KIOSK system. Most people have laptops, GPSs, Blackberries, etc.
Consolidate the highway patrol and sheriff’s departments.
Concentrate on rehabilitation rather than building more prisons.
Maintain roads and bridges we have rather than build new. Charge additional fees for oversize loads large enough to discourage using the roads for this purpose or generating $$$ to pay for the wear the create. Require license fees for agricultural equipment to be on the roads. Discontinue building bicycle trails unless fees are charged bicycle owners to pay for them. Use required community service hours to maintain mowing along roads.
Operate our State cars, vans, truckss a year longer. These vehicle’s will run another year or longer. All Iowans are driving their cars, etc. longer because of the economic crises.
Hire “people” off the street to operate the Stop/Slow signs instead of high paying union DOT workers,while State DOT workers are filling potholes on our crumbling highways.
Stop the practice of “re-graveling” the highway shoulders.
I drive a lot of highway miles and puzzled why DOT does not seed the side of roads with some good hay type grass then section off stretches to farmers to mow. In return for mowing they get to keep the cut hay. It could be set-up like the trash cleaning section by groups and they would have to mow it say two times a year. DOT would not have to waste fuel on the tax payers equipment used to mow or hire people to mow it plus perhaps not raise our gas tax.
We could cut the cost of manufacturing vehicle license plates in half by requiring only one plate per vehicle. This would also reduce the cost of shipping/handling and yearly renewal stickers, making it more efficient for everyone. Registration fees would not be reduced. Many states only require one plate and get along fine.
Why does the DOT take their state cars and pickups to a service station/dealer to have them serviced and/or inspected? There are plenty of DOT Mechanics available to do this work and it would save the DOT money plus DOT mechanics would have a more secure job. The DOT fleet has been reduced, not as many motor graders/back hoes/crawlers/pickups and trucks, so the mechanics should have plenty of time to service all state vehicles even the ones used by office personnel.
Eliminate some state jobs that are not needed: 1) to many middle management positions, eliminate all the District Operations Managers (DOM) and half the Area Maintenance Managers (AMM); 2) eliminate half the Secretaries in maintenance; 3) eliminate the GOA positions and keep the Senior Operator instead. Maintenance is now doing construction work (shared worker) as inspectors so why would we need all these positions in Maintenance. Their not doing as much Maintenance and do not need these positions because there is nobody in the DOT Maintenance shops in the summer to do the work or be managed. Construction is doing most of the work and the District Office is putting this work into projects for construction.
No need for so many Engineering Operations Technicians (EOT) positions, these could also be cut in half.
These are only some positions in Maintenance that should be looked at, what about all the other areas of the DOT that need to be trimmed down?
Pretty easy, save A LOT… Stop Mowing!