State Republicans offer plan to beef up highway budget

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Republican lawmakers proposed increasing funding to repair roads and bridges across the state.<br/><br/>The plan announced by state House Speaker Todd Hiett and Senator Glenn Coffee

Wednesday, September 14th 2005, 11:51 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Republican lawmakers proposed increasing funding to repair roads and bridges across the state.

The plan announced by state House Speaker Todd Hiett and Senator Glenn Coffee comes a day after voters overwhelmingly rejected a tax increase on gas and diesel to pay for the repairs.

The plan calls for increasing from $170-million to $200-million the amount of money Legislature appropriated for highways and raising $85 to $100-million for county road and bridge work. The plan also calls for a one-time expenditure of $100-million in surplus funds to repair more than 50 of the state's worst bridges.

The extra money for counties would come from motor vehicle registration fees. Much of that money now goes to education but the lawmakers say state revenue surpluses mean school funding won't be harmed.

No decision has been made on whether to take the $100-million for emergency bridge repairs from the Rainy Day fund or to use other revenue.