House panel prepares to roll dice on funding for road plan today

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam’s gas tax increase plan to pay for Tennessee’s next generation of road projects comes up today in a House panel. But lawmakers say it’s anybody’s guess whether it will be the governor’s plan or a competing version that races out.

“Get your dice ready,” quipped Rep. David Alexander, R-Winchester, a member of the eight-member House Transportation Subcommittee that will consider Haslam’s funding, as well as a measure introduced by House Assistant Majority Leader David Hawk, R-Greeneville, and possibly a third plan. “Roll ’em, man!”

The Republican governor is calling for a 7-centper-gallon gas tax increase and a 12-cent hike on diesel to help raise $227.8 million to begin tackling a nearly 1,000-project backlog of highway and bridge improvements and new projects.

Other fee increases such as a $5 to $20 boost in annual vehicle registration fees, a $100 fee on electric vehicles and a new levy on natural gas-fueled vehicles raise the total new revenue to $278.5 million for the state. Cities and counties would, respectively, see $39 million and $78 million from their share of the gas and diesel increases.

But a number of Republicans, especially in the House, are balking at Haslam’s call for boosting fuel taxes for the first time since 1989. The governor has said inflation over the past nearly 28 years has reduced the value to about half of what the levies once raised, with higher costs of asphalt and concrete taking a toll.

Hawk said that with revenues soaring in the state’s general fund, which pays for most non-highway areas of Tennessee government, he believes the state should devote a quarter percentage point of the state’s 7 percent sales tax toward transportation on a recurring basis.

Haslam and a number of Senate Republican leaders argue that’s a risky solution that could backfire given that the sales tax is virtually certain to take a hit in any recession.

“I think we’ve got several good ideas,” Hawk said. “The governor’s got a good plan. I think the plan I’ve discussed is a good plan. So I feel it’s important that we move something forward. I think it’s important that we move something forward this week.”

House Transportation Committee Chairman Barry Doss, R-Lawrenceburg, is carrying Haslam’s bill. Late Tuesday afternoon, Doss filed the administration’s expected 92-page amendment, which provides the legal language of the concepts Haslam has discussed for weeks.

“I think the entire state House and the Senate are committed to getting new revenue for infrastructure,” Doss said. “And I think we’re committed, we’ll all come to some kind of consensus and we will have some infrastructure funding.”

Doss also said he thinks Haslam’s bill “is going to be the vehicle in which we get that funding.”

Asked whether that might happen with an amendment seeking to put Hawk’s language into the governor’s bill, the chairman said: “The governor has a heck of a plan and I happen to agree with it or I wouldn’t be carrying it. I think everybody is committed to infrastrucutre and I personally think the governor’s bill will be the only bill that comes out.”

Doss said he does expect attempts to amend the governor’s bill.

House Majority Leader Glen Casada, R-Franklin, said he’s “confident” some type of road funding bill will emerge from the panel and go on to the full committee.

It conceivably might include both the Haslam and Hawk proposals with lawmakers in other committees making a decision on which, Casada suggested.

“At this moment, there are not five votes to get something out, for either proposal. So we’re trying to get five votes for something. We’re praying as we speak,” Casada said.

Amendments and the bill itself wouldn’t technically need a majority of five votes on the eight-member panel to win approval. If some lawmakers are absent or abstain, it could pass with a majority of those who are voting.

Casada also wasn’t sure if any proposal will actually emerge today.

“They’ve only got like an hour and a half, so that’s a lot to cover,” the majority leader said.

“I know the chairman wants to vote something out [Wednesday],” Casada added. “I hope they can. Go sell popcorn, it’ll be fun!”