HIGHWAY PANEL

They will try again for funds in ’19; casino plan rebuffed

drops plan for initiated act, will press lawmakers for more funding.

The Arkansas Highway Commission has abandoned pursuing an initiated act for the 2018 general election ballot asking voters for more money for road construction.

It said instead that it would have another go at persuading lawmakers to cough up the additional funds when they meet in January 2019.

The commission also distanced itself from a group called Driving Arkansas Forward, which is trying to place a constitutional amendment on the 2018 general election ballot to allow casino gambling with a share of the revenue going to road construction.

The commission agreed with Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s office, which said the wording in the ballot title, “The Arkansas Casino Gaming and Highway Funding Amendment of 2018,” contained several ambiguities.

“While a measure put forth by ‘Driving Arkansas Forward’ could provide some additional revenue, it is imperative the citizens of Arkansas understand it is not a highway funding solution that will meet Arkansas’ needs,” according to a statement the commission approved Tuesday.

Since June, the commission’s five members, who are appointed by the governor, have been following Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s suggestion that they pursue a ballot initiative to raise additional money for road construction after successive legislative efforts have failed in recent years, most recently in 2017.

The change in plans comes as the Arkansas De-

partment of Transportation struggles to come up with enough money to maintain existing roads.

Two ongoing initiatives — a $1.8 billion program focusing on projects of regional significance and a $1.2 billion interstate improvement program — provide some respite from the department’s budget woes, but both are temporary and leave it without a long-term funding source.

State and federal fuel taxes provide the majority of the department’s revenue, but more fuel-efficient vehicles have left that revenue relatively flat while, according to Federal Highway Administration data, motorists are traveling more miles than they ever have.

The department says it needs at least $400 million more a year. A legislative audit report prepared last year concluded the department had $478 million in additional annual needs.

The commissioners’ vote to turn their attention back to seeking legislative help came at the recommendation of Scott Bennett, the Transportation Department director, who said he sees hopeful signs lawmakers might be more receptive when they meet in regular session early next year.

“I really believe we need to give the Legislature another shot,” he said.

Alec Farmer, a commission member from Jonesboro, cited the looming political fight over a ballot proposal on lawsuit damages, legal fees and court rules. More than $1.5 million already has been raised by groups on opposing sides.

“A lot of our people have made commitments” to that issue, he said.

He also said he fears the $1 billion in work the agency expects to get underway this year will leave voters with the mistaken impression that the agency doesn’t have a funding problem.

Bennett also recommended that the commission go on record opposing the proposed amendment establishing casinos in Arkansas if only to make clear the proposal isn’t the work of the commission or the department.

“There are people that think this is our proposal,” he said.

Under the initial wording of the casino proposal, the department would net no more than $30 million. While the figure is “nothing to sneeze at,” it falls far short of the agency needs, he said.

“It is not a highway funding proposal,” Bennett said.