Transportation appropriations Am. Sub. H.B. 87 Sponsors: This bill will make appropriations for programs related to transportation and public safety for the biennium beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2005, and provide authorization and conditions for the operation of those programs. The bill addresses a number of Farm Bureau priorities, including OFBF policy on railroad crossing safety. It allocates $1 million in fiscal year 2004 to fund competitive grants to political subdivisions for the cost of putting rumble strips at active railroad crossings without gates or lights. The maximum amount of a competitive grant is $50,000 for any single crossing. Each political subdivision with jurisdiction over a crossing may apply for a competitive grant for the costs of installing the rumble strips. Those political subdivisions awarded grants must install the rumble strips by Dec. 1, 2004. OFBF policy calls for placing stop signs at ungated, unlit crossings. While this provision falls short of that goal, this program may help address safety concerns. With limited funding, interested parties are encouraged to quickly apply for the grants. Also of interest to Farm Bureau members are two items related to the 6 cents per gallon gasoline tax increase to be phased in at 2 cents per year over the next three years. The bill would increase the portion of the gas tax revenue that goes to local governments for road repairs and improvements. The current allocation of $50,000 per township will be increased to almost $97,000. The final 2-cent increase of the gas tax hike also may be eliminated, if Ohio gets some help from Washington on an ethanol issue. Currently, the federal highway trust fund taxes ethanol at about 5 cents per gallon less than regular unleaded gasoline. With Ohio using a high amount of ethanol, our contributions to the federal tax are lower. But, when highway taxes are allocated back to the states, Ohio is penalized for using the cleaner-burning ethanol. The state currently gets back only 87 percent of its federal gas tax. Under the new Ohio transportation budget, the third year of the state gas tax increase would not take effect if the federal ethanol penalty is eliminated. Ohio's transportation bill also changes the weight variance granted to vehicles leaving nonscale points driving to a scale point. The bill increases the variance to 7 1/2 percent, up from the current 5 percent. OFBF's Scott Williams explained Farm Bureau's support for the increased variance. "When I'm pulling out of the field where I just dumped my combine into a semi, I have no idea what that load weighs. I have a rough idea of what a perfect bushel weighs and how many bushels I've dumped in there, but not all grain weighs the same. If that grain happens to be wet enough to put me 1 percent over the weight limit, is it fair to subject me to a fine?" Williams added that once you've left a scale point and are weight-certified, the variance is no longer valid. The bill also eliminates the existing 3 cents per gallon surcharge on diesel fuel for semis driving on Ohio highways. | |