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Press Release |
Governors Oppose Administration Plan
Taking Away State Highway Funds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2000
Contact: Karen Deike or Ron Ross (303) 623-9378
| Denver -- A dozen Western governors today voiced strong opposition
to an administration budget proposal that would divert to other programs more than $1
billion the states are expecting to receive to fund their highway priorities. In a letter to President Clinton, members of the Western Governors' Association called on the administration to respect an earlier agreement forged under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and signed into law in 1998. "These provisions clearly required that the surplus revenues collected from highway users would be returned to the states for use in meeting their highway program priorities," the letter stated. "Congress, in passing this provision, struck a balance between the expectation of the highway user, the states and federal government and returned credibility to the federal highway program." The funds collected for the Federal Highway Trust Fund come from highway user fees on such products as gasoline, tires and batteries. The governors noted in their letter that the administration tried unsuccessfully to divert a portion of these fees to other uses last year as part of its 2000 budget proposal. Diversion of the funds away from their intended purpose will require that current authorizations for the core highway and transit programs be reduced, negatively impacting state highway programs. "The Governors again call on the Administration to respect this provision of TEA-21, to which the Administration committed when the Act was signed into law," the letter stated. "Current law requires that the more than $3 billion surplus in FY2001 go to the states to fund their highway priorities."Governors who signed the letter include: Jane Dee Hull, Ariz.; Bill Owens, Colo.; Ben Cayetano, Hawaii; Dirk Kempthorne, Idaho; Marc Racicot, Mont.; Mike Johanns, Neb.; Gary Johnson, N.M.; Ed Schafer, N.D.; John Kitzhaber, Ore.; George W. Bush, Texas; Mike Leavitt, Utah; and Jim Geringer, Wyo. The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states, two territories and one commonwealth. Through their association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management. # # # # # |