New Budget to Reduce Funding for Local Roads
With the seasonal pothole epidemic still lingering in the memories of drivers, the 2014 state budget will lower financing for local road maintenance and construction.
The budget has earmarked 28 million euros to local governments for road maintenance, down 4.3 percent from the current year, uudised.err.ee reported. That figure was at 40 million euros as recently as 2008.
According to the law, the state must set aside at least 10 percent of road funds for municipalities, although as much as 40 percent of Estonia's roads are locally maintained.
Meanwhile, the state will next year spend 179.5 million euros on state roads.
The bill was submitted to Parliament today.