Street-Repair Bill Faces Tough Road In Olympia Prince Opposes Bill Using Sta Funds To Maintain Streets

The road to passage for a bill Spokane officials are counting on to provide money to repair city streets is dotted with potholes.

Senate Bill 5430, sponsored by Sen. Jim West, R-Spokane, would allow public transit systems to spend reserve account money for general street maintenance.

Spokane Transit Authority has about $40 million in its reserve account, intended for self-insurance, equipment replacement and conversion to alternative fuels.

Spokane city officials would like to use some of that money to help pay for street repair. The city estimates it needs about $6.5 million more per year to adequately maintain streets.

“We’re just trying to broaden our options,” said Dave Mandyke, assistant city manager.

But the bill isn’t likely to get a warm reception from Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Eugene Prince, R-Thornton, when it receives a hearing Tuesday.

“Every time you save money you get flies on it,” Prince said. “We in government want people to be prudent, and when they are, we get on them.”

Prince said public agencies that manage to build surpluses should be commended - not targeted for money grabs. Even so, he gave the bill a 50 percent chance of making it out of committee.

West, who expects the bill to win Senate approval, believes cities should be able to charge public transit systems for using streets and city services.

West takes exception to the notion that cities are trying to raid public transit coffers.

“If (STA) has that much money, they shouldn’t be taking it away from taxpayers,” West said.

In fiscal 1997-98, STA projects it will collect $14.2 million from the local gas tax and $13.6 million from the state’s motor vehicle excise tax covering 78 percent of its operating budget. Executive Director Allen Schweim said STA isn’t ready to take a stand on the bill.

Dan Snow, executive director of the Washington State Transit Association, said reserve accounts of transit systems in Washington are comparable to those in other states.

Even if West’s bill becomes law, Mandyke said the city would have to find additional ways to raise enough money to cover its street-repair needs.

Lawmakers are expected to pass legislation shifting $100 million per year of revenue generated by the motor vehicle excise tax from the general fund to the transportation budget.

It isn’t known how much of that money would go to the Spokane area.

Prince has been given the go-ahead from the Republican leadership to lobby for a gas tax, although he faces an uphill climb.

He concedes it would be highly unlikely to see an increase in either the sales tax or motor vehicle excise tax for transportation purposes.

, DataTimes