Transportation Budgets

We can expect a House Transportation Budget on Monday, February 27. We are not expecting dramatic changes from the Senate Transportation Budget that passed last week (SSB 6241) in terms of funding for regional mobility grant projects, ($20 million), pedestrian and bicycle safety projects ($7 million), and various provisos. We are, however, expecting a different approach to the use of federal funding that was appropriated in the senate budget.

Please note, the House Transportation Committee will "strike" SSB 6241 and replace it with its own budget proposal. This document should be on-line by late February 27 or early February 28.

Regional Transportation (ESHB 2871)

The House version of a regional transportation bill passed on February 21 with a 71-26 vote. The bill still includes HB 3138, modifying transportation benefit districts. The Senate will hear the bill on Friday, February 24 and will replace it with their own striker on ESHB 2871 on February 27.

Next, we can expect conference committee negotiations for the remainder of session. The continuing policy debates are:

Authority to proceed or not in 2006;
Whether or not both the Regional Transportation Improvement District and Sound Transit plans must pass concurrently in order for each to be considered approved;
Funding eligibility (the extent to which funds for transit can be used);
What authorities a new regional transportation commission should have; and
Monorail taxing authority - whether or not the City of Seattle can use this authority for Seattle transit, subject to voter approval of voters within the City and a region as part of a regional ballot measure.

Revising Commute Trip Reduction Provisions (ESHB 3089/ESSB 6566)

These bills would revise the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) provisions to include the following:

Modify the scope of the CTR Program to focus on urban growth areas with the most congested state highways.
Create a new CTR Board with expanded duties.
Allow local jurisdictions to create growth and transportation efficiency centers to obtain funding and flexibility in implementing programs.
Expand the role of the Department of Transportation and regional transportation planning organizations in CTR planning.

Both bills have been heard in their respective committees. The Senate took action on ESHB 3089 and replaced it with their original bill, ESSB 6566. Not surprisingly, the House took action on ESSB 6566 and replaced it with ESHB 3089!!! The policy differences in the bill are relatively minor and should be worked out through the conference committee process.

Please note the Senate provided $4.65 million in their Transportation Budget. We have not heard what the House Transportation Committee funding level will be to support this legislation.

Modifying Transportation Accounts and Revenue Distributions (ESSB 6839)

This bill is considered a "clean-up" bill from last year’s revenue proposal. It clarifies the distribution of local transportation funds for the Transportation Improvement Board, transit grants, and freight mobility.

The bill passed out of the House Transportation Committee with two amendments. One amendment restores last year’s performance audit funding to its original $4 million level (the original bill reduced it to $2 million).

The audit funding has sparked strong policy debate between the Republicans and Democrats in both chambers. The Republicans have wanted to retain this funding as part of last year’s "deal" on the 9.5 cent revenue package. Democrats have noted that I-900 provides funding for performance audits and therefore this earmarked funding can be used for other transportation priorities.

Whatever the outcome, this will require the bill to either return to the Senate, require the Senate to "concur," with the house striker, or work out a compromise bill that the Senate can accept and concur with as part of House floor action.

Harmonizing and Updating the Urban Arterial Program (SB 6162)

This bill proposes three changes to the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB):

The names of several programs are changed to better align with funding sources and program delivery;
The number of TIB members is reduced from 21 to 20 by eliminating one of the public transit system appointments. The Executive Director of CRAB is also removed from the TIB Board and replaced by a county engineer or public works director from a county with a population of less than 125,000; and
The Governor makes TIB appointments instead of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

The bill passed House Transportation Committee and is now in Rules.

Regulating Train Speed (ESSB 6679)

This bill proposes that before increasing operating speeds, a railroad operator must provide 60 days written notice to the Utilities and Transportation Commission and the applicable local government or road authority.

This bill has passed out of the House Transportation Committee and has now been referred to Rules.

Public Works

Authorizing Project Loans Recommended by the Public Works Board (SHB 2337 and HB 2544)

These bills combined authorize the fifty-one Public Works Board projects. Both bills passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee and are in Rules.

Authorizing a Contract Extension for Reimbursement by Property Owners for Street, Road, and Water Sewer Projects (ESHB 3192)

This bill would allow for an extension of the current 15 year period if a moratorium, phasing ordinance, or concurrency designation or other governmental action that restricts new developments from being applied for with the benefit area is implemented. The bill now includes notice requirements and the ability for local jurisdictions to collect fees.

The bill passed out of the Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee and is now in the Rules Committee.

Providing Additional Funding to the Prevailing Wage Program (SSB 5236)

This bill provides for additional funding to the Department of Labor and Industries’ prevailing wage program by discontinuing the transfer of moneys from the public works administration account to the state general fund. AWC supports this legislation to ensure that L & I has adequate resources to conduct sound prevailing wage surveys.

The bill passed out of the House Appropriations Committee and is now in House Rules.

Supplemental Capital Budget (ESSB 6384)

Of note in the supplemental capital budget, the House Capital Budget Committee proposed an amendment which would appropriate $100,000 for an Infrastructure Study. This is a "Phase II" of last year’s Inventory and Evaluation of the State’s Public Infrastructure Programs and Funds study.

The purpose of this study is to look at state agency grant and loan agencies with the intent to develop common infrastructure program processes and identify the potential to consolidate programs to improve coordination and efficiency of state's investments.

Recommendations from the study are to be reported to the legislature by December 15, 2006.

Supplemental Operating Budget (ESSB 6386)

The House operating budget includes $125,000 to continue the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board work that is currently underway. The objective is to review and refine General Contractor-Construction Manager contracting procedures for reauthorization in the 2007 legislative session.

Spring Conference

On a separate subject, the joint spring American Public Works Association conference will be held March 28-31 in Vancouver, WA. This includes both the Washington and Oregon state chapters, and the City/County Engineers Associations.

The Engineers Association meeting provides valuable information on legislation and funding that affect our ability to serve our communities. In addition, the APWA conference provides great technical sessions.

Of particular interest to cities at this conference should be the Department of Ecology's session updating us on the NPDES Phase 2 municipal stormwater permit and other regulations.

For more information please see www.APWA-wa.org.

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