New DOT commish will probably suck

I am catching up after taking a bit of a break, so this news is a week or two old. Maria Saporta reported that Vance Smith is the most likely person to become a new DOT commissioner. That'd be a big disappointment, but not much of a surprise.

I generally see Vance Smith as part of the problem - he is from rural Georgia and owns a construction and earth grading business. I haven't been able to verify if the earth moving business means "road building," since the only number I can find for the company is disconnected. It is possible, however. He was also a big player the House's gutting of Perdue's DOT restructuring that I was ultimately not a fan of.

As chair of the House Transportation Committee he's largely responsible for what gets through that committee, which is to say not much that is worthwhile. I was pleased when Gina Evans nee Abraham was named commissioner instead of Smith. I suspect that Smith will simply continue DOT's history of politically motivated decision making, although I have been wrong before.