Krusee VS. Costello On Proposition 9

Sal Costello at The Muckraker has the link to the News 8 story and video on the Proposition 9 debate between himself and Rep. Mike Krusee. Rep. Krusee says that it's better to have unaccountable RMA board members than accountable RMA board members. Here is his case:

"Whether it passes or doesn't pass, doesn't mean that roads will be built or not be built. All that it means is, if it passes, the roads that we build will be cheaper. If it doesn't, the roads may cost more," he [Rep. Krusee] said.

You see? The only reason to do this is to make the roads cheaper. Well not the tolls they'll still cost same it's just that the interest you pay on the debt will be less. Hang on I thought that was one of the reasons to build toll roads is so that we didn't have to finance our roads anymore? The tolls would pay for future roads. Also notice the wording first he says, "...will be built cheaper" and then changes his tune in the next sentence to "...may cost more". Well which is it? But anyway back to the corrupt, unaccountable, RMA board members making our roads cheaper. I would rather have people on these boards for shorter terms and know they can be gone in two years than have people on their for six-years, be unaccountable and be lining their pockets in the mean time. To me that makes the cost about even. What we gain in stability we give up in corruption and vice versa. Here is what Sal had to say:

"The comptroller came out with this report and showed that the Regional Mobility Authorities create double taxation without accountability. And that these folks are giving no-bid contracts to themselves and their friends. They shouldn't exist, let alone get six-year terms," [Sal] Costello said.

That's about right. As I stated before I would feel much better about four-year terms than six-year terms but in reality if a road has public buy-in and its what the people want there will be no problem getting financing for it. Rep. Krusee ends with an childish either way I get my toll roads statement:

"It doesn't matter if this thing passes or not. It's not going to do anything about toll roads," he said.

Then why did you propose it? I recommend watching the video because the contempt he shows doesn't come out in print.