State House road plan advanced by state Senate

Thursday, April 21st 2005, 2:51 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Senate on Thursday moved along the Republican House plan to beef up road and bridge repairs over objections that the proposal would shortchange schools.

The bill, which would produce an extra $170 million for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation over five years, was approved on a 36-8 vote.

It is headed for a joint conference committee for further work. A rival Senate bill, which would make an extra $100 million immediately available for road and bridge renovation this year, is also going through the legislative process.

``This plan robs public education of desperately needed dollars,'' Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Howe, said of the House plan.

Corn said education entities normally get 60 percent of General Revenue Fund money and that would amount to about $100 million of the $170 million the bill would raise by shifting vehicle tag money that now goes to schools and counties to transportation needs.

Sen. David Meyers, R-Ponca City, Senate sponsor of the legislation, said the new funding would come out of growth revenue. He said growth of 4 percent, which has been the norm in recent years, would easily raise $170 million.

Meyers said roads and bridges have been allowed to dilapidate to the point that something has to be done.

``I know it takes money out of general revenue if there's no growth, but everyone's going to have to share in repairing our roads and bridges,'' he said.

Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, said the Legislature owes ODOT extra money because it has required the agency to fund pay raises over the years out of its maintenance fund.

ODOT officials have said there is an $8 billion backlog on maintenance projects and the state leads the nation in the number of deficient bridges.

An initiative petition has been cleared by the courts for a statewide vote raising fuel taxes to increase ODOT's funding. But Laughlin said prospects for a favorable vote have dimmed because of the rise of gasoline prices.