SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5757

As of February 13, 2001

Title:  An act relating to allocation of new transportation revenues.

Brief Description:  Allocating new transportation revenues.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson, Horn, Prentice, McAuliffe, Finkbeiner, Shin, Haugen and Carlson; by request of The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/13/01.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Staff:  Jennifer Strus (786‑7484)

Background:  The Legislature and the Governor formed the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation (BRCT) in 1998 to assess the local, regional and state transportation system; ensure that current and future money is spent wisely; make the system more accountable and predictable; and prepare a 20-year plan for funding and investing in the transportation system.  The BRCT made 18 final recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.

Recommendation 15 allows regions to retain the funds they raise.  More specifically, the BRCT recommended that the Legislature adopt a regional equity principle for distribution of new funds to regions of the state, based upon the following three tiers:

  (1)allocate sufficient funds statewide to all regions for basic operations, maintenance, preservation and safety at a minimum agreed upon level;

  (2)allocate all other new funds such that each region is guaranteed a minimum return of 85 percent of funds generated in that region, and allocate remaining funds to a statewide equalization fund to be distributed to negative equity regions; and

  (3)allocate all funds regionally authorized directly to the region in which they are generated.

Summary of Bill:  Any new revenue generated after January 1, 2001, for state transportation programs must be distributed as follows:

  (1)statewide distribution among the regions of the state so that there are sufficient funds in each region for basic operations, maintenance, preservation and safety at a minimum level defined by the Transportation Commission (TC);

  (2)after the funds are distributed as provided in (1), the remaining funds must be distributed to regions so that each region receives 85 percent of the funds generated by that region;

  (3)any funds remaining after the distribution in (2) constitute an equalization fund and must be distributed to regions that receive a lesser amount of funds than they generate.

The TC must work with the Association of Washington Cities and the Washington Association of Counties to define the transportation regions.  The TC must submit its definition of regions to the Legislature by January 15, 2002.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 1, 2001.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on January 1, 2002, upon approval by a majority of those voting at the November 2001 general election.