Norris named to national forum

Covington Leader On Line
February 13, 2007

State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) has been named a Principal of the National Intergovernmental Forum on Transportation Finance in Washington, D.C.

Norris was nominated to the national post by the Council of State Governments (CSG) after being elected to the Executive Committee of the CSG's Board of Directors last month. He will continue to serve as Chairman of the Economic Development, Transportation and Cultural Affairs Committee for the CSG's 16-state Southern Legislative Conference.

Norris is meeting in Washington, D.C. this week with other leaders starting a six-month study of policies and agreements to prepare for future surface transportation needs over the next 25 years.

"Folks take roads and public transportation for granted, and they shouldn't. Traffic delays frustrate our freedom. Deteriorating systems are wasteful. They waste time and natural resources," Norris said. "We are meeting to analyze alternatives for the future and common sense solutions."

Norris previously served as Chairman of the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee. Last year, he fought to end the ongoing diversion of gasoline tax revenues from the state’s transportation trust fund to other government programs.

"That's behind us now," Norris said. "But the trust fund needs to be repaid out of existing surpluses before there's talk of raising gas taxes again."

Norris received the Tennessee Public Transportation Association's Legislator of the Year award in 2006.

The Washington, D.C-based National Academy of Public Administration sponsors the Forum. It is congressionally chartered organization comprised of current and former Members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, legislators and other leaders known for their contributions to public administration.