Face The State Staff Report
In his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, provided no extra cushion for a significant dip in federal transportation funding. Republicans questioned the move as uncertainty lingers about whether voters will approve today a proposed constitutional amendment that could dramatically increase funding for Colorado's roads.
The budget, which Ritter characterized as “lean” and “frugal,” calls for a $428 million decrease in overall transportation funding. Administration officials attribute the drop to a $96 million decline in federal funding and a $332 million decline in Senate Bill 1 revenues. SB 1 allocates tax revenues from the use or sales of vehicles to transportation funding, SB 1 dollars still have to openly comply with spending limitiations enacted by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, known as TABOR.
“It seems like the exact wrong way for someone who claims transportation is a top priority to take this stance,” Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, said.
McNulty is one of the backers of Amendment 52, a measure that would limit revenue currently allocated to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources from oil and gas development and dedicate excess revenue to transportation needs. Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, and Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, are also backing the measure.
Ritter, who has consistently said transportation funding will be a one of his major priorities in the coming legislative session, maintains that his office was not counting on the success or defeat of any ballot initiatives when it crafted its budget.
“We don’t have the luxury of trying to think about what will pass and what won’t pass,” Ritter said Sunday when he released the budget.
If approved by voters, Amendment 52 is expected to generate $90 million next year and as much as $1 billion over the next decade.
Republicans also accused Ritter of passing on to legislators his duty to provide a reasonable budget for the coming year, speculating that Ritter was trying to lay the groundwork to browbeat voters into approving a massive transportation tax increase.
“We’re not going to build infrastructure through attrition,” said Gardner, "but Gov. Ritter’s stance clearly seems to be one of attrition.”
Ritter’s Blue Ribbon Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel in January called for a $1.5 billion increase to transportation funding in what it called a “quiet crisis” in road and bridge maintenance. Ritter said that although he didn’t want to have to force the legislature and public into action, he defended the proposed cut to Colorado roads.
“The panel called it a quiet crisis,” Ritter added. “This may heighten the volume on the crisis.”
Gardner was unpersuaded. “After two years of studying transportation funding solutions the only solution he puts forth is to cut transportation funding."
“Maybe he really is expecting Amendment 52 to pass,” McNulty quipped.
The budget will now be heard by the legislature's Joint Budget Committee before it is voted on by the General Assembly in late March. Ritter will then have the ability to line-item veto any funding recommendations he disagrees with.