Colby Free Press Monday, March 1, 2004 Page 5 Debate continues about transportation’s future By JOHN HANNA budget, the state diverted $165 mil- Miller noted a projected deficit “A follow-on plan will be nearly AP Political Writer lion and set aside no sales tax rev- would exist even without Sebelius’ impossible,” he said, speaking of TOPEKA (AP) — Discussions enues for transportation. plan. Also, she said, the state faced the next potential transportation about transportation at the State- The result is a gaping hole in a similar situation in 1998, when the program. house this year have an almost pan- funding for the program and 1989 program ended, and legisla- Miller’s biggest fear is that icky tone. Miller’s threat to cancel $550 mil- tors knew it would arise again even- KDOT will have to cancel projects Many lawmakers and officials in lion worth of projects over five tually when they approved the 1999 and will lose so much credibility Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ adminis- years. program. that legislators will not want to pur- tration argue that the Legislature Under the 1999 legislation, the But initial projections in 1999 sue a new, post-2009 program. Do- must act now to save the state’s state is supposed to set aside 12 per- showed the deficit occurring at least ing nothing, raising too little money comprehensive transportation pro- cent of its sales tax revenues to a year later. Kerr said Sebelius’ ad- to bolster the program, or failing to gram from collapse. transportation. Sebelius proposes ministration is managing the cur- deliver promised revenues in the Transportation Secretary Deb resuming the set-aside in 2006 but rent program so that “it just kind of near future all could cause her to Miller has even promised to start then only 3 percent of sales tax rev- crashes” when it ends. cancel projects. canceling long-promised projects enues, rising to 6 percent for 2008. on July 1 if a transportation bill Bonds would plug any remaining doesn’t pass. gap. But the debate about Sebelius’ Hayzlett wants the state to be proposal to float $465 million in more aggressive about resuming bonds is really more about the fu- the set-aside. Sebelius and Miller ture of transportation policy. The argue that promising to set aside any Democratic governor’s administra- more than 6 percent of the state’s tion and Republican legislative sales tax revenues is unrealistic and leaders are pondering what happens that Hayzlett’s idea would not raise in 2009, when the current program enough money, even if the state of highway, rail, airport and public were to fulfill what it promises. transit improvements ends. Hayzlett and other Republicans Department of Transportation are looking for a compromise. projections suggest that, starting in As for Sebelius’ plan, Senate 2009, the state won’t have enough President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson money even to sustain a full main- said, “There are just issues every- tenance program. Congress is de- where regarding this thing.” bating federal transportation spend- Even without Sebelius’ plan, ing and could provide additional bond payments backed by highway funds, but officials aren’t confident funds would jump from $123 mil- enough in any estimates to plug lion to $175 million in 2009. Her them into their projections. plan would add an additional $35 What’s clear is that in 2008 or million in bond payments, backed 2009, legislators and the governor by general tax revenues. will have to consider starting an- Annual debt payments would re- other transportation program, one main at or near $210 million until that involves raising taxes or issu- 2016, and that strikes Hayzlett and ing additional bonds. And that pros- other legislators as too much of a pect complicates this year’s discus- burden. Under the 1999 program, sions. the state was allowed to issue nearly “Down the line, how much are we $1.3 billion in bonds — on top of going to cripple our ability to do $890 million authorized for an another highway plan?” Rep. Gary eight-year program in 1989. Hayzlett, R-Lakin, chairman of the Miller said the debt load is man- House Transportation Committee, ageable because part of the pay- said during a recent interview. ments will come from general tax The state started its current pro- revenues. gram in 1999, promising $13.5 bil- “The same people who say, ’I’m lion over 10 years to transportation concerned it’s too much debt,’ I improvements. Legislators autho- don’t think, are willing to cut rized bonds, increased motor fuels projects, and I don’t think they’re taxes and vehicle registration fees willing to raise taxes,” she said. and agreed to set aside an ever- But KDOT faces future financial growing amount of sales tax rev- headaches even if Sebelius’ pro- enues to complete a long and spe- gram is approved. cific list of projects. For the budget that takes effect in But governors and legislators 2009, KDOT figures show, the have never dedicated the promised agency will have $238 million less amount of sales tax revenues to the than it needs to sustain even basic, program, siphoning off at least a maintenance-heavy operations. Some like it HOT, HOT, HOT... and some like to shop the COOL portion of the funds to other govern- The deficit rises to $490 million in want ad way!! ment programs. Under the current 2010 and $592 million in 2011. 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