Don't override veto of transportation funding bill, opponents urge

SALT LAKE CITY — The battle to override a bill devoting nearly 30 percent of future sales tax revenue exclusively for transportation projects brought out public opposition Wednesday, including from the state's commissioner of higher education.

A small group including advocates for education, social services and business rallied support for letting Gov. Gary Herbert's veto of SB229 stand, urging the public to contact their legislators and urge them to vote against the override.

"I think the governor has a good plan," said Commissioner of Higher Education William Sederburg. "I don't think there's a need to override the veto."

Beginning in 2013, the bill would set aside the growth in sales-tax revenue exclusively for road maintenance and construction projects. That amounts to as much as $60 million a year, in addition to the $295 million already directed from sales-tax revenue every year for highways.

"By taking 30 percent and earmarking it toward one interest, it can potentially hurt all the other parties that are funded out of the general fund," said Tom Love, United Way of Salt Lake board chairman. The United Way supports social service agencies, education interests, corrections as well as transportation, Love said.

Love joins the rest of the group who don't support "handcuffing" the state's budget toward any one source.

When it comes to higher education, Sederburg has deep concerns, since it limits the state's colleges and universities from restoring money that has been cut during the recent recession.

Some schools like Dixie State College have had their funding cut so they get about half the money per student than they received four years ago, Sederburg said. "And so, it just ties the hands of the Legislature to meet some of those needs."

"It's very strange to me for the Legislature to say 'we love roads above the human capital needs of the state,'" Sederburg added.

But lawmakers say SB229 is a way to manage the state's future money more responsibly, given the volatility of sales-tax collections. Lengthy negotiations between Legislative leaders and the governor failed to come up with an acceptable alternative to the bill.

"I still feel that we need the bill," said House Majority Leader Brad Dee, R-Ogden. "Can we do some things to tweak it? Obviously, we've been working with the governor to do that. And if need be, we can do that in the future."

Dee has worked with the bill's original sponsor, Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton.