Legislative Watch 
LEGISLATIVE
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3/2/04-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has offered a plan to revive highway projects stalled when road dollars were diverted this past year to help balance the state’s budget.
The governor’s plan relies on issuing $465 million in bonds and earmarking a portion of sales tax revenue for highways in 2005.
The current transportation program law calls for 12 percent of state sales tax revenue, about $190 million a year, to be used for highways, but the money has been shifted to other cash-strapped state programs.
For the past two years, no money was transferred to the highway program.
Sebelius’ $10.2 billion budget proposal – HB2728 – for the next fiscal year again diverts sales tax revenue from the Kansas Department of Transportation. That would equate to more money being borrowed to complete all the projects promised in 1999 when the Legislature adopted the $12.8 billion, 10-year Comprehensive Transportation Program.
The bill is in the House Transportation Committee.
For bill status, call (785) 296-2149. In Kansas, call 1-800-432-3924.
