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Senate approves transportation budget, but key issues left undebated

Rod Boshart, CR Gazette –

Senate passage of a transportation budget bill Tuesday was almost more noteworthy for what was not debated than the $350 million in spending authority that won approval on a 42-7 vote.

For starters, Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, offered an amendment to remove policy language he allowed to be attached in his Senate Appropriations Committee that would have extended from six months to a full year the minimum time that a teenager must possess an instructional permit in order to qualify for an intermediate driver’s license. Under the current graduated driver licensing program, a 16- or 17-year-old must have an instructional permit for six accident-free, violation-free months to qualify for an intermediate license.

The decision to close the door on policy issues being debated on the fiscal 2013 budget bill averted an attempt by Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, to bring his proposal to ban traffic-monitoring cameras before senators. Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, floor manager of Senate File 2314, said that took care “of some of the flies that it attracted.”

Undaunted, Zaun said later that he believes his traffic cameras amendment will get debated when the Senate takes up an omnibus bill sought by the state Department of Transportation.

“I will be running my amendment at that time,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

In discussing the transportation budget bill, McCoy said the measure will require DOT officials to report quarterly on savings achieved by efficiency measures Gov. Terry Branstad requested in lieu of a gas tax increase for the coming construction season to help address a projected yearly $200 million shortfall in funds required to meet critical highway and bridge repair needs. He said the governor asked for $50 million in savings but McCoy doubted the end result would be $30 million over several years under what he called “a snow job” by the Branstad administration.

“Tracking efficiencies is going to be important, particularly as we look at the incredible shortfall in funding for major maintenance on our roads in the state of Iowa,” McCoy said. “I’m disappointed that it looks like we’re not going to have a full-blown policy discussion on the gas tax, but this bill will do a great deal in helping us maintain our existing system but there is still a major, major shortfall.”

Sen. Tom Rielly, D-Oskaloosa, who announced Tuesday that he would not seek re-election this fall, said he was not willing to concede that a gas tax debate would not take place this session.

“As far as I’m concerned, until we (adjourn) sine die, we’ve got to keep talking about this,” he said.

McCoy said the effort to raise the state gas tax by eight to 10 cents a gallon phased over two years was set back last week when House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said the issue was “losing energy” and public support due to rising gas prices at Iowa pumps. He said he believed up to 30 House Republicans would support a gas tax increase and he expected a “gloves off caucus” to convince the House speaker to allow representatives to vote on the issue this session.

Rep. David Tjepkes, R-Gowrie, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said there are House Republicans, especially representatives from rural counties with deficient roads and bridges, who would like to measure the strength of phased in gas tax increase of up to 10 cents a gallon over two or three years. “The next few days are critical if we are going to have a shot,” he said.

“There are still a lot of concerns. We want to have a discussion with our respective leaders to see if our leaders can find some common ground and move this forward,” he said.

Scott Newhard, a former state legislator who is executive vice president of the Associated General Contractors of Iowa, said his group plans to keep the issue in front of legislators for the remainder of the session. Since a gas tax measure approved by the Senate Transportation Committee was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the issue will not be subject to next week’s “funnel” deadline to clear one chamber and a standing committee of the other to remain eligible.

“This is my 40th session and I know nothing’s over until it’s over around here,” he said.

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