Posted: | December 1, 2016 10:34 AM |
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From: | Representative Jim Cox |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Flexibility for Municipality Bridge and Road Maintenance Funding |
In the near future, I will be introducing legislation amending Act 44 of 2007 to allow counties greater flexibility in the use of their bridge and highway maintenance allocation under the Act. Section 9915.3 of Act 44 establishes provisions regarding fund allocations. Each fiscal year allocates $5 million for county-owned bridges and roads. For municipal roads and bridges pursuant to the allocation currently established under the Liquid Fuels Tax law (Act 655 of 1955) $30 million is allocated per year. Even when there are unused county allocations under Act 44 for bridge and road maintenance, those counties are unable to assist their local municipalities with bridge and road maintenance costs. Under existing law, this is not an allowable use of the funds. My legislation will address this issue by allowing any county that receives an Act 44 allocation to use any remaining funds to assist their municipalities through a grant program. After that, if funds remain, the balance would be carried over into the next fiscal year. Given the many challenges facing our cities, towns and boroughs, being able to have a reliable source of funding to provide safe and well maintained roads and bridges is one less stress factor on their general fund. I hope you will join me in support of this legislation. . |
Introduced as HB1992