H-1543.1          _______________________________________________

                             HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4012

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives R. Fisher, Wilson, Schmidt, Prentice, Wood, Cooper, R. Meyers, Heavey, Chandler, R. Johnson, Forner, P. Johnson, Mitchell, Brough, Haugen, Zellinsky, Jones, Kremen, Cantwell, Holland, Rasmussen, Nealey, Paris, Horn and Ferguson.

Read first time February 14, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.Asking Congress to make motor fuel tax moneys available to the states for highway work.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, Congress, in its budget resolution recognized the importance of the "user fee principal" as a sound means of funding the highway program; and

     WHEREAS, Preservation, protection, and continuation of this means of highway funding is vital to the nation's highway program; and

     WHEREAS, Congress has for too long held back Highway Trust Fund moneys from their intended use in order to make it appear that the Federal deficit is not as large as it actually is; and

     WHEREAS, Congress in its efforts to reduce the Federal deficit, passed a five-cent motor fuel tax increase of which two and one-half cents was earmarked for the Highway Trust Fund (two cents to highways and one-half cent to transit); and

     WHEREAS, It should be noted that the five-cent motor fuel tax increase is scheduled to expire in 1995; and

     WHEREAS, Two and one-half cents motor fuel tax earmarked for the Highway Trust Fund cannot, under present provisions of the law, be spent but must remain and accumulate in the Trust Fund Balance; and

     WHEREAS, The moneys accumulated in the Highway Trust Fund balance are sorely needed by the states to use for work on their interstates and primary and secondary highway programs;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress make the two and one-half cent motor fuel tax available for immediate obligation to the states in the 1991 fiscal year; or if not immediately obligated to the states, that the states be allowed to use the advance construction interstate program currently in effect for that portion of the two and one-half cents that would be obligated to the state so that state moneys may be used now, and repayed when the two and one-half cents is obligated to the states; that in 1995 when the five-cent motor fuel tax is due to expire, that it be extended and earmarked for the Highway Trust Fund and dedicated solely to highway purposes; and that state and local determination be allowed on whether the Highway Trust Fund Transit Moneys be used for transit or highways.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately sent to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.