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Expressway provision faces speed bumps
istockAnalyst.com (press release), Apr 29, 2010
Apr. 29--TALLAHASSEE -- Tampa Bay area House Republicans are vowing -- and recruiting other lawmakers to join them -- to vote down key legislation if it includes a plan to extract $69 million from the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority.
That threat had little effect Wednesday on Senate budget chief JD Alexander, who said he won't back off the proposal unless the House agrees to restore proposed cuts to the state's transportation trust fund, which supports road projects statewide.
"If we don't put money back into that trust fund ... you're going to shut down projects all over the state," he said.
If the situation creates a true standoff, the session could wind up going into overtime, beyond its scheduled close Friday.
Alexander was unruffled by that prospect, saying, "I've got plenty of time."
His proposal to tap the expressway authority is one provision among hundreds in an expansive bill to implement the state's budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget bill already has been printed and awaits a final vote, though the "implementing bill" remains in final negotiation.
Alexander maintains that Hillsborough's expressway authority owes the state more than $120 million in loans and therefore should hand over $69 million received from a court settlement.
The state would pour the $69 million back into the transportation trust fund, which the Senate reluctantly has agreed to slice by $160 million to fund other budget areas because of a projected $3.2-billion revenue shortfall. The state would dissolve the authority if it failed to pay by July15.
A vote on the bill is expected in the next 48 hours.
Members of the ruling party almost always vote for the budget and implementing bill. But at least seven Republicans in the Bay area delegation had decided Wednesday that they probably would vote against the bill if it took all $69 million from the local authority.
Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, is leading the charge. "I go for peace first," he said. "I am ready to go to war on the floor if I have to."
Other Bay area House Republicans -- Kevin Ambler, Jim Frishe, Ed Hooper, Rachel Burgin, Ed Homan and Faye Culp -- said they, too, probably would vote no if the provision remains.
Bay area Reps. Ron Reagan, Kelli Stargel, Bill Galvano and Will Weatherford did not commit to voting either way but said they wanted House and Senate leaders to remove or substantially change the provision.
The issue has even inspired opposition from some Republicans representing other regions.
"It's going down," Rep. Greg Evers said of the bill, if left unaltered. Evers, a Republican from Milton, said he would vote against it. "That money belongs to the Hillsborough authority, and that's where I feel like the money should stay."
Killing the bill would require all House Democrats and 16 Republicans to vote against it. House budget chief David Rivera acknowledged the growing opposition but said only that "we're conferring" with the Senate.
Copyright (c) 2010, Tampa Tribune, Fla.
