With a major transportation bill poised to receive its first hearing today at the state legislature, its crafters are still missing something they have long said they sought: bipartisan backing.
The bill, known around the Capitol as FASTER and officially designated Senate Bill 108, is perhaps the most significant bill introduced so far this session. It would raise annual vehicle registration fees in order to put money into fixing Colorado’s dilapidated bridges and highways.
Democrats and Republicans have discussed and negotiated its provisions for weeks, but so far the bill’s only two sponsors are Democrats.
“I find everybody very much interested in seeing how we can make this work,” Rep. Joe Rice, a Littleton Democrat who is one of the bill’s sponsors, assured.
Key Republicans, though, continue to be skeptical of how the bill raises the new road money.
Republicans have said they are unwilling to raise fees to pay for transportation projects unless Democrats first agree to set aside money from already existing revenue streams, saying Coloradans can’t afford to pay higher fees now. Democrats have said that with massive budget cuts looming this year, there isn’t enough money in existing revenue streams to carve out responsibly for the bill.
With both sides sticking to their positions, it remains yet where there might be middle ground — though leaders in both parties say they are still working to find it.
“The issue,” said House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, “surrounds new money for transportation, not necessarily new money for government.”
As currently proposed, FASTER would raise about $214 million in its first year, and $265 million every year after that for road and bridge projects. Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry said lawmakers may have to lower their expectations to find something everybody can agree on.
“We have to adjust our sights,” said Penry, R-Grand Junction. “Let’s just fix these 126 unsafe bridges. That would be substantial progress.”
Bill sponsor Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne, said Republicans need to start pinpointing where they’d trim the budget to find money for the bill.
“I’m all ears,” Gibbs said on Friday, the day the bill was introduced. “But I want to see what they would cut to come up with $250 million.”
John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or jingold@denverpost.com
