Differing Opinions (and Votes) on Texas Local Option Transportation Act - SB 855
Senator Carona and his staff have offered this bill in recognition of the huge challenges Texas' urban areas face in financing traffic congestion relief given the current economic recession. Early Session talk of support for a statewide gas tax increase or indexing (an idea Senator Carona has filed bills on but not held a hearing: SB 217 and SJR 8) may be on hold indefinitely. The bill will only affect the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso.
Senator Carona and his staff worked hand in hand with cities and regional transportation authorities such as Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) to craft a bill that carves out authority for those cities and authorities wishing to participate to raise money for local projects while keeping the money in that area. Financing raised through a LOTA election will be used mostly for transit projects, and will not allow U.S. DOT or TxDOT to decrease traditional transportation funding.
Permissible elections include:
- Increasing local gas and diesel taxes
- A mobility improvement fee
- A parking management fee
- Motor vehicles emissions fees
- Driver's license renewal fees
- Texas new resident roadway impact fee
Local areas and even newspaper editorial boards have been ardent supporters of similar legislation in sessions past.
-"In fact, it's hard to see how North Texas will solve its difficult transportation problems without such a measure." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/24/09
The LOTA bill even has its very own Web site.
But not everyone has been so keen on the local option tax bill. Texas Public Policy Foundation, a free-market research institute based in Austin, has opposed the idea from the beginning, calling for "a more comprehensive review of current spending priorities," and ending funding diversions from the transportation fund (Testimony to the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee on SB 855 and SB 942).
Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston showed his opposition to the bill by voting against it in committee because he views the local option taxes as regressive- or more greatly impacting lower-income Texans.
Ben Wear with the Austin American-Statesman has an insightful article here on the hurdles the bill and this concept will have to clear before voters are given a chance to vote, including passage in the House and a signature from Governor Perry.
Categories: Texas Local Option Transportation Act, Senate Transportation Committee
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