U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey voted against transportation bill today, arguing that the funding formula denies Georgia its fair share of funding. Gingrey voted for the Isakson amendment, which aimed to distribute transportation funds more fairly. The Isakson amendment lost and the overall transportation bill won approval.

“Georgia is what is called a ‘donor state,’ meaning Georgians send a lot more money to Washington in gas taxes than they get back for transportation projects,” Gingrey said. “This has gone on for too long and I had to vote against this bill today because it made the funding formula even worse for Georgia taxpayers.”

The bill would allot Georgia 75 cents for every dollar that it sends to Washington for transportation funding. Under the former formula, Georgia was still a donor state but received 83 cents for every dollar it sent to Washington.

“This is a recurring problem with transportation funding and other funding concerns,” Gingrey said. “Georgia receives the lowest per-capita funding for homeland security in the nation -- $12.92. Compare that with the $61.02 per person spent in Wyoming and you realize that we’ve got a system that’s broke and irrational.

“The same applies for transportation funding. The Sun Belt states are the ones that are growing the fastest. Georgia is struggling to keep its infrastructure up to date with its population surge. We’re not asking for a handout; we just want more of OUR money back.

“From Rome to Marietta to Columbus, the counties in my district deserve to get their money back to improve mobility in their communities. Georgia is short-changed in transportation funding.”