Commissioner Nicely was quoted as saying, " We've never done bonding ( for transportation spending ) in Tennessee. I'd like to see how that works. ". The commissioner should rethink his words even in light of rising materials costs and shrinking repair funds. Commissioner, the funds are shrinking because you are diverting funds to projects unrelated to the building or maintenance of roads and bridges. Case in point, Sir, the $1million you have proposed to help bailout the Music City Star, that failing train project that runs from Lebanon to Nashville. Subsidies from either the Feds or the state are the only reason why these commuter rail lines are able to run. Let them sink or swim on their own. If riders hip can't support them, they ought not run! 40% of gas and fuel taxes are diverted to non road projects nationwide.

1148 structurally deficient and 2919 functionally obsolete bridges is about 40% of Tennessee's bridges that need to be repaired or replaced. Of these 1148 structurally deficient bridges, how many have a pot hole or 2 that, if filled, would remove that bridge from the list? $13 milliion federal dollars less that the year before. Did our legislators tighten up the bottle law so as to restore those funds? I seem to recall that lobbying by the liquour and beer folks kept us from getting quite a a bit of that federal money.

Once the genie is out of the bottle we will never get back on our feet as Rep. Fraley asserts , according to him, " with the economy and the way federal funding is, we don't konw what we are going to do ". Well Mr. Fraley...I'll tell you what NOT to do: Don't put road construction, bridge construction or repairs on the state credit card. Please, Senators Tracy and Black, remain true to your Republican conservative principals. Pay as you go. I refuse to believe that the money is not there, just set priorities. Saving roads and bridges ought to be a top priority.