DENVER – The bipartisan effort to generate new funding to meet the projected $9 billion in needs of Colorado’s roadways continues to truck along.
House Bill 1242, which would use a combination of existing revenue and an increase of the state’s sale tax to generate more than $650 million annually for 20 years for the expansion and maintenance of Colorado’s transportation infrastructure, was adopted upon second reading by the House of Representatives.
The funds generated by HB 1242 would be split between CDOT, which would receive $375 million a year for the initial purpose of paying for a $3.5 billion bond, with the remaining being split 70/30 between counties and municipalities and a newly created Multimodal Transportation Options Fund.
Everything HB 1242 aims to do is dependent on the approval of voters in November.
During more than four hours of debate, dozens of amendments were presented. Most died, including one that would have gutted the bill and made it a request to voters to bond for $2.5 billion without raising taxes.
The revenue-neutral approach is what Republicans in the House have pushed for since transportation talks began in January.
“This is the solution that the voters of Colorado are looking for,” said Rep. Tim Leonard, R-Evergreen.
The bond would cover the projects that CDOT representatives say are “shovel ready,” but not the entirety of the priority list.
Also absent from the GOP proposal was allocation of money for counties and municipalities The spreading of funds has been a major selling point for the bipartisan group of lawmakers who sponsor HB 1242.
Leonard argued the most funding outside of that earmarked for CDOT would end up going toward major population centers, particularly the money dedicated for the multimodal fund.
Democrats opposed Leonard’s argument that multimodal funding, which would be given out in matching grants, would be largely dedicated to the Interstate 25 corridor.
“It’s really important for us to remember that contrary to some of what we’ve heard today, this does help rural Colorado,” said Rep. Diane Mitch Bush, D-Steamboat Springs.
Leonard also proposed an amendment that would have diverted 7.5 percent of the current sales tax revenue directly to transportation infrastructure, but it was killed.
An amendment that lived through the chopping block would restrict the establishment of toll roads with the new revenue HB 1242 would generate.
“This is what Coloradans who I am representing call the ‘prevent CDOT from double taxing us’ amendment,” said Rep. Steve Lebsock, D-Thornton, who presented the amendment.
While the amendment passed, Republicans opposed it and expressed concern with wording of the amendment and if it would actually accomplish its goal of limiting the construction of toll lanes because of a series of exceptions. Among them was a clause allowing for the creation of toll lanes if they were adjacent to untolled lanes and would reduce congestion for a section of roadway.
Opponents of the amendment argued that would allow for construction of toll lanes with little justification.
After the bill was approved by the House, a final attempt at killing it was pitched by the GOP who asked for a roll call vote on HB 1242.
The bill passed 38-26 with one Republican, Rep. Dan Thurlow, R-Grand Junction, voting in favor of the HB 1242.
The bill will receive a final vote by the chamber Friday, before heading to the Senate where it should receive a warmer welcome as two Republicans senators, including Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Cañon City, sponsored the measure.
lperkins@durangoherald.com
