Rural highways need funding assurances

Among other special-interest groups with something to say on the subject, leaders of the Missouri Farm Bureau are mulling over the possibility of backing an initiative-petition effort to address Missouri's transportation needs.

Any such effort would likely go before voters at next year's ballot, in either August or November.

Transport Missouri, a coalition of interest groups, first floated the idea of a petition effort earlier this year. Members of Transport Missouri include the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Missouri the state AFL-CIO and major road contractors, among others.

Without the support of the Farm Bureau, however, any initiative proposition would face slim odds at the polls, particularly on the issue of highway spending.

There is already a split in ideology on highway funding. The Farm Bureau fought hard -- and successfully -- to make sure rural areas received a fair portion of spending on roads, bridges and other improvements. Indeed, the much ballyhooed 15-year plan -- declared unaffordable by a cash-strapped Missouri Department of Transportation -- designated more funding for rural areas than urban areas.

Now the Farm Bureau is making its support of any statewide tax increase for highways contingent on a return to those commitments made in the 15-year plan. Without such promises, the Farm Bureau would be hard-pressed to support the current tilt to urban highway needs.

Enough time has elapsed since the 15-year plan was adopted -- and then discarded -- that it could stand some commonsense updating and review.

But the Farm Bureau is on the right track in its effort to protect the interests of rural Missourians and the future highway needs of rural Missouri.