Bingaman & Grassley Fighting to Protect Taxpayers by Eliminating Subsidies on Private Highways
May 1st, 2009 . by adminWASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) today introduced two bills to eliminate expensive federal subsidies that now flow to privatized highways.
Several state and local governments have already leased to private companies existing highways, including the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road, which were leased to private operators for 99 and 75 years, respectively. When a state or city leases a highway, it receives significant compensation, but taxpayers almost always end up paying higher tolls to the private operator.
S 885 Transportation Access for All Americans Act
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s885/text
S 884 Transportation Equity for All Americans Act
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s884/text: