Public transit coalition finalizing funding bill

The Coalition for Regional Public Transportation met today to finalize legislation they will present to the state Legislature next year. A bill presented by the coalition earlier this year, which would have given local government the authority to let voters decide on a local-option sales tax to pay for public transit, died in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. The coalition plans to introduce the bill again next year, but with a new provision that will allow sales tax revenue to be spent on highway improvements and public transit.

With a little more than a month to go before the Legislative session begins, the coalition is preparing the final draft of the legislation.

The bill cannot allow local-option revenue to replace gas tax money in cities that have road building authority, Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas said.

“There’s not enough money to go around,” he said.

Nor will it be allowed to relate only to highway funding, Co-chair Chuck Winder said.

The key is making the legislation appeal to elected officials from all parts of the state.

“I-84 is the only thoroughfare between Portland and Salt Lake City,” Nancolas said. “The traffic affects commerce and industry and our quality of life. This will affect every municipality in the state at some point.”

Several legislators have asked to sponsor the bill, coalition member Ken Burgess said, though he would not name the lawmakers.

The coalition will redraft the legislation and make it and more applicable to all parts to the state, he said.

The coalition will present the final version in mid-December.