Governor Says Road Funding Tied to Prevention of Overweight Vehicles
Mr. Janklow said he will tell lawmakers that he plans to play a significant role in the debate on road funding, but the issue is tied to the need to prevent damage by overweight vehicles.
I will not be a party to raising any additional funds to rebuild roads that we deliberately continue to wreck with overweight vehicles," the governor said.
r. Janklow said many people think they do little harm to roads when they drive overweight trucks. A video produced by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will be sent to everyone in the state who has vehicles licensed for commercial or agricultural use, he said.
nce people find out how much damage they can do, many will stop driving overweight vehicles, the governor said.
But people who intentionally violate weight limits should be charged with felonies for destruction of public property, Mr. Janklow said. Someone who broke a window in a courthouse would be prosecuted, so people who break up public highways also should be charged, he said.
he governor also said he realizes counties, cities and townships need money to construct, repair and maintain local roads.
The state Game, Fish and Parks Department has been giving 10 percent of its license revenue to counties for road repairs, about $1 million a year. But a federal audit has determined that the fund transfer is improper, Mr. Janklow said.
he state is trying to negotiate a compromise so it does not have to repay a federal program for past payments to counties, the governor said. The state now has to find a way to give counties the same amount each year from a different source of money, he said.
