From the Lafayette Journal & Courier:
Greater Lafayette definitely had a presence when the Indiana House Ways and Means committee heard several bills Wednesday designed to increase funding for local and state highway improvements.
Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh testified before the committee at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.
Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, oversees the panel, and representatives Sheila Klinker, D-Lafayette, Randy Truitt, R-West Lafayette, and Sharon Negele, R-Attica, are committee members.
During his testimony, Murtaugh emphasized the need to finance road maintenance and improvements.
“Tippecanoe County’s largest asset is $270 million in roads, and we’re falling behind in maintaining that asset,” Murtaugh said. “We need to maintain 35 miles of roads each year, but we can only afford to maintain 13 miles of roads with our current funding.
“With a 26 percent drop in revenue since 2006 plus the increased cost of materials, we’re using $1 million in economic development income taxes to pay for roads instead of other projects.”
Two of the bills would free up money by dedicating gas tax revenue for transportation projects only. Currently, some gas tax money funds the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Indiana State Police.
Another bill would allocate the 7 percent sales tax on gasoline for road projects only. Currently, that sales tax goes to the state’s general fund.
Murtaugh said the committee seemed supportive of finding more revenue for infrastructure projects. But legislators also must find another way to fund the BMV and ISP.
No vote was taken Wednesday. Murtaugh expects the legislators might combine the bills as work continues on the state’s next two-year budget.
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013301300028
