Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) detailed concerns they first noted in their May 10th letter to governors, state legislators, and transportation officials around the country. “When a government agency considers contracting with a private company…there are many issues that must be examined.” The Bush DOT is a promoter of public private partnerships but it is not a Repub vs Dem thing. Politicians of both stripes are increasingly welcoming of private investment in public infrastructure and other facilities but Oberstar/DeFazio point to cautions that should be observed. As Oberstar’s counterpart, John Mica (R-FL) said, and DeFazio concurred, concerns are being raised in the absence of a government policy.

“Public Interest Concerns” about PPP by the House Transportation Chairman

The focus of this October 2006 report funded by the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute is an argument that the Harbor Maintenance Tax should be voided. It contains an abbreviated but fairly comprehensive history of the HMT as well as statements as to why the HMT is flawed. The discussion on HMT is not limited to the Great Lakes and thus is useful to a policy debate on the HMT.   However the paper does not offer as deep a discussion as I would like on how the HMT discourages the use of waterborne transportation and one would like to see more as to proposed “solutions to the HMT problem." 

HMT: “Barrier” to Great Lakes Maritime Commerce