DOT in focus this year

(May 9, 2008) Legislative attention in the area of transportation this year was sharply focused on the internal operations of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Budget overruns associated with a major transportation project in New Haven served only to elevate the political focus on the DOT.

In addition, Gov. Rell recently named Joseph F. Marie of Scottsdale, Arizona to be the new DOT commissioner. Marie appeared before the legislature’s Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee and is expected to assume his new position in June.

In terms of legislative action, CBIA urged approval of several recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on Reform of the DOT, which submitted a report to the legislature in February.

Consistent with some of the recommendations, one proposal would have created two new positions within the DOT — a chief operating officer and a director of strategic planning and evaluation. Because of concerns stemming from the growing state budget deficit, bills such as this one (that would cost the state money which has not yet been budgeted) were not approved. Because the DOT does not require statutory authority to create these positions, it is possible that the positions may be opened up later this year.

Another proposal requiring the DOT commissioner to identify priority programs and conduct a needs assessment to identify resources required to continue the programs, also died. Again, however, the DOT does not need legislative authority to conduct such an analysis. The new commissioner is expected to do just that, soon after taking office.

For more information about transportation issues, contact CBIA’s Eric Brown at 860-244-1926 or eric.brown@cbia.com.