Gov. M. Jodi Rell's spokespeople would like us all to believe that the state's "Recovery Working Group" is showing initiative by identifying shovel-ready projects before Connecticut receives stimulus funds from the federal government ("Money coming soon from stimulus," Feb. 19). States were asked to produce a list of shovel-ready projects more than a year ago; the notion that this reactive approach is progressive is absolutely absurd but unfortunately business as usual for the governor's office.
Furthermore, Rell has repeatedly proclaimed her affinity for public transportation projects and her determination to move the state toward a 21st century transportation system. So where are all the transit projects on the working group's wish list? Connecticut has an extensive backlog of transit projects like the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line that have been on the table for more than a decade for lack of funding. Well, we finally have the funding, yet the governor insists that these projects are not shovel-ready and has shown no inclination to make them so.
The purpose of the economic recovery bill is to stimulate the state's economy. Giving commuters access to more and better public transportation has proven to do just that. It would be shameful to waste this opportunity by sinking federal funds into parking lot expansions when we can do so much more.
