House panel introduces new road funding bill

BOISE (AP) - Idaho House leaders have unveiled their proposal to pump $84 million each year into transportation funding, the third sweeping piece of legislation introduced this week hoping to address Idaho's multimillion-dollar transportation shortfall.

House Majority Caucus Chair John Vander Woude from Nampa presented the bill Wednesday. The bill relies on a variety of fee and tax increases to create new revenue to pay for Idaho's bridge and road repairs.

The House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved introducing the measure, but the bill still needs to survive both chambers before the Idaho Legislature's looming adjournment.

"We have floated a lot of ideas to a lot of members," Vander Woude said. "We have been working on this for a long time. I think we have something ready to pass in both houses."

The state's gas tax would increase by 5 cents beginning in fiscal year 2016, according to Vander Woude's proposal. It would also require higher registrations fees for vehicles, farm equipment and commercial trucks. For example, annual registration for a brand new vehicle would jump from $48 a year to $60 a year. Commercial trucks carrying 60,000 pounds would have to pay roughly $541 a year, up from $515 a year.

Unlike previous proposals presented so far, the only general funds required would be $10 million to pay off federal bonds that paid for previous transportation projects.

While the bill carries one of the biggest price tags introduced this legislative session, it still falls short of the $262 million a year needed to address 700 bridges deemed deficient by the Idaho Transportation Department.