JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- During the previous two legislative sessions, transportation funding had been a top issue in the General Assembly. This year, with the governor and lawmakers focused on the budget, transportation could be stuck in a legislative traffic jam.

One bill has been awaiting Senate action for several weeks, but remains far down on the chamber's agenda. A House committee is expected to sign off on its version of a funding plan before lawmakers adjourn Thursday for their spring recess.

When the legislature reconvenes on April 2, they will have just seven weeks to adopt a funding proposal, including new taxes, for voters to consider in November. In legislative terms for a complex -- and sometimes divisive -- issue, that isn't much time, especially with the House running behind schedule in sending a balanced budget to the Senate.

State Sen. Morris Westfall, R-Halfway, described the chances of the Senate acting on his bill in time for passage as "a close call."

"My guess is 60-40 in favor of doing something," Westfall said. "But around here the saying is you haven't got it until it's actually done."

If the General Assembly can reach an agreement, state Rep. Don Koller, D-Summersville, said he believes voters will have a package they can endorse.

"I think with a little education they'll see it is a straightforward issue and not complicated," Koller said. "I think the voters will make the right decision."

Reversal of roles

In 2000 and with strong bipartisan support, lawmakers authorized the Missouri Department of Transportation to issue up to $2.25 billion in bonds over six years to jump start highway construction. However, that bill provided no new money. MoDOT officials have decided against issuing the full amount of bonds out of concern that future debt payments would take too much money away from construction without additional revenue.

Last year, Gov. Bob Holden got behind a $650 million a year tax proposal for transportation. The Democrat-controlled House approved the bill, which ballooned to more than $700 million. However, the Senate, where Republicans are the majority, stopped it.

This year roles have somewhat reversed. Holden decided to stay out of fight while Westfall, who as Senate transportation chairman helped block last year's effort, agreed new taxes are needed.

Westfall's bill would raise approximately $480 million a year in new taxes through a three-eights cent general sales tax and adding 6 cents to the state fuel tax. The total fuel tax would be 23 cents per gallon.

Once the Senate gets to his bill, which he expects will happen by mid-April, Westfall said he's hoping for smooth passage.

The chamber gave initial approval last week to another transportation bill that would remove the scheduled 2008 expiration of a 6-cent fuel tax lawmakers approved in 1992. Significant time was spent debating the matter, with senators attempting to graft numerous amendments to it.

Most of those, including allowing cities to install automated cameras to catch red-light runners and stiff restrictions on large trucks, were resoundingly defeated. Westfall is hopeful that lawmakers who offered those amendments, after seeing the lack of support, won't try again and hold up his main transportation bill.

'We have enough votes'

In the House, Koller, who is transportation chairman, said the committee will pass his $650 million tax package this week. He said the full chamber likely would debate the plan soon after spring break.

Koller's plan would raise the fuel tax by 3 cents and call for a seven-eights cent sales tax. One-fourth of the sales tax revenue would be dedicated to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, with the remainder earmarked for transportation.

"We have bipartisan support, and I think we have enough votes to get it out," Koller said.

However, he noted their is bipartisan opposition to the plan as well.

Early in the session, Koller and House Speaker Jim Kreider, D-Nixa, offered an $800 million tax plan for both transportation and school construction. Koller said that idea was scrapped for lack of support.

Kreider said he decided he wanted education lobbyists concentrating on the pressing issue of fully funding the formula for distributing state aid to local school.

"I felt we were too spread out on our focus," Kreider said. "We need to be focused on fully funding this formula and not be focusing on a new program."

Wants Senate leadership

With the Senate further along in its transportation effort and the House still struggling with the budget, Kreider said the upper chamber should take leadership on the issue.

While the House will consider Westfall's secondary bill lifting the sunset on the 1992 fuel tax, Kreider is discouraged that bill moved first.

"It is a bill that sends a negative message to me that they have no intentions whatsoever in enacting a transportation bill," Kreider said. "I believe that's for political reasons."

Not so, said Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau. He admitted the Senate has been slow working through its calendar as some members insisted on extensive debate on minor amendments to minor bills, backing up important issues like transportation.

However, Kinder said he believes the logjam has been broken and promised the transportation measure will get ample time for debate.

"We saw this week marked progress in moving bills, and I remain very hopeful that will continue," Kinder said.

As to whether there is enough time to clear a transportation bill through both chambers, Kreider noted the legislature can move quickly if it wishes.

"You can enact any bill in 10 days if the desire and will is there," Kreider said.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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