County road trust fund revenue projected flat due to fuel costs

Higher fuel costs could translate into fewer motorists, and indirectly affect funding for county roadway projects in Cape Girardeau County.

Construction and maintenance along county roads in Cape Girardeau County are funded largely by the County Aid Road Trust (CART) Fund.

The CART Fund is 10 percent of revenue brought in by the state's gas tax, motor vehicle sales/use tax and vehicle fees. The other 85 percent of the revenue is distributed throughout city and state roadways.

Missouri Department of Transportation official Jay Lancaster said that CART funds are distributed throughout the 114 counties in Missouri based on two factors.

One-half of the funds are credited to the county based on the amount of county road mileage, and the other half is based on the assessed value of rural land, said Lancaster.

For instance, the total projected CART fund revenue for 2006 exceeds $114 million. Cape Girardeau County is expected to receive more than $950,000 while Butler County should receive approximately $1.25 million.

The difference is due to the amount of county road mileage each county has. Scott Bechtold, Cape Girardeau County highway administrator, said, "We have about 500 miles of country roads and they have something like 700 to 800 miles of county roads."

As Bechtold prepares the county road budget for the 2006 fiscal year, he's anticipating the high gas prices could affect the CART funds.

In the past, Cape Girardeau County has received about 3 percent more CART funding each year from the Department of Revenue.

"This year I have to assume that with the very high gas prices, there won't be as many drivers, which will result in a lower amount brought in for total gas taxes. I've estimated the budget on a flat rate, meaning we should stay the same from last year," Bechtold said.

While the CART funds are mixed into the entire highway department budget, Bechtold does allocate these funds to go towards specific county road projects.

These projects include fixing potholes on the county roads, hauling gravel to various locations and replacing several bridges.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission is required to approve how the CART funds are allocated, said Bechtold.

"The funds are a substantial part of our budget," he said. "That's why I'm a little on edge with the high cost of fuel."

The total 2005 Missouri county road mileage is more than 72,000, and the state's assessed value of rural land is more than $16 billion.

jfreeze@semissourian.com