Transit bill detours millions to roads

A bill that would siphon millions each year from other state programs to help fund road construction is slated for discussion Monday in a transportation budget committee.

HB112 calls for a percentage of sales tax revenues to be deposited into a transportation fund each year. It's money that could otherwise go toward higher education, health and human services or public safety, which also are funded by sales tax collections.

While a fiscal note had yet to be attached to the bill by Friday, a similar bill run last year called for an average of $227 million each year over the next 10 years to be put into transportation.

That bill failed in the Senate after some last-ditch delay efforts by Democrats.

Sponsoring Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, could not be reached for comment Friday about HB112. Discussions with other lawmakers showed no consensus on the merits of the bill. Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas said he didn't want to "tie the hands" of future lawmakers or the governor by forcing them to automatically appropriate money.

Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, has said in previous interviews that Lockhart's bill is one way to fund a $16.5 billion deficit for transportation projects over the next 25 years.

Lockhart's bill is one of several funding ideas being tossed among lawmakers this session, including the governor's proposal for $140 million in new money and $83 million in general obligation bonds.

Ure says he is "eight or nine votes" away from having a majority of House Republicans support a proposal to give transportation $150 million this year in ongoing funds. The challenge, he said, is making sure that money isn't "borrowed" from transportation during lean budget years.

If he can find a way to guarantee the money stays in transportation, he's got the votes, said Ure.

The House Republican caucus has taken a position to support about $200 million in one-time funding for transportation. House leadership does not support the governor's bonding proposal, according to Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy.

Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, said the Senate has yet to reach a consensus on transportation funding. Today's discussion about funding and Lockhart's bill could prove interesting if the committee decides to take a position on how much to give toward roads and construction.