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Transportation blog: Sen. Carona won't seek local-option tax in special session
05:37 PM CDT on Friday, June 26, 2009
Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, will not seek to win approval of a local-option transportation tax bill in the special session of the Legislature that begins Wednesday.
Steven Pollunksy, staff director of the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee, said Friday afternoon Carona, the committee's chairman and the sponsor of the local-option bill in the regular session, will not pursue the controversial transportation funding proposal in the special session.
On Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry called a special session for July 1, and wants lawmakers to address a number of transportation related issues. Carona responded the today by filing S.B.1, a bill that would authorize TxDOT to borrow an additional $2 billion and to create revolving fund for the department. Half of the proceeds of those new bonds would be put in the revolving account, allowing the department invest or loan money to toll projects.
Carona's comments are on the jump.
Comments from Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, on filing SB 1.
"Governor Perry has called us into special session to address specific urgent issues. One of those issues is 'To consider legislation relating to the issuance by the Texas Transportation Commission, pursuant to Article III, Section 49-p, of the Texas Constitution, of general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects, and to the creation, administration, financing and use of a Texas Transportation Revolving Fund to provide financial assistance for transportation projects."
"Today I filed Senate Bill 1 to issue bonds and create a revolving fund per the Governor's call. SB 1 enables the issuance of the transportation bonds that voters approved in November of 2007 through Proposition 12, similar to Senate Bill 263 from the regular session, and creates a transportation revolving fund, similar to SB 1350. I think these concepts are well accepted and should move rapidly through the process."
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