EMERSON: ROAD FORMULA NEEDS CHANGE

Although the Senate has passed a version of a new five-year federal highway bill, Eighth District Rep. Bill Emerson indicated Thursday the House would draft a version of its own.

The Senate bill would give Missouri an additional $754 million over the next five years in road and bridge funds distributed through the Federal Highway Trust Fund. The annual allocation to Missouri would go from $275 million to $429 million.

A key ingredient of the Senate-passed bill is that part of the $13 billion impounded in trust fund dollars, which have not been released to help offset the budget deficit, will be released to donor states like Missouri. There are 26 states under the present funding formula that receive less federal gas tax money than they pay in; the state of Missouri receives only about 77 cents for each dollar sent in.

But although the Senate bill will bring more money to the state in road and bridge funds, it does not address the fundamental fairness issue, said Emerson.

"The Senate failed to change a fundamental part of the problem," explained Emerson. "The formula by which Missouri receives allocations from the Highway Trust Fund still shortchanges Missouri residents in the long run. In order for Missouri to get a better deal, we must change the formula whereby the funds are distributed."

Emerson said the effort in the House will be to change the formula and he will be playing a prominent role in drafting the bill that will go to the House floor.

Next week, the surface transportation subcommittee of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee will begin drafting the House bill. Emerson is the only Missouri representative on the subcommittee.

Once a plan is approved, it will go to the full public works committee. Besides Emerson, other Missouri representatives on the panel are Mel Hancock, R-Springfield, and Joan Kelly Horn, D-Ladue.

In his role, Emerson said, "I will have an opportunity to shape this bill in a way that is more favorable to Missourians. I can assure you that my first and foremost concern will be to represent the interests of the folks of southern Missouri."

Missouri Sen. Christopher Bond teamed up with Virginia Sen. John Warner to hammer out a compromise bill that makes some allowances for the debtor states.

Officials of transportation organizations, such as the Federal Transportation Alliance and the Missouri Transportation Development Council, praised Bond for his leadership in getting concessions that will help states like Missouri.

But the transportation alliance said in a news release that there needs to be a concerted effort to bring about some changes. The alliance, which includes Missouri Highway Chief Engineer Wayne Muri as vice chairman and D.L. Harrison of Cape Girardeau as a board member, cited three problems with the Senate bill they hope to change.

First, the bill does not emphasize the importance of a national highway system, which would allow Missouri to place a priority on upgrading its primary system.

Also, it does not distribute the basic trust fund receipts on a formula that is based on highway usage. This is considered a key to the state's getting its fair share of future funding, transportation organization leaders said.

A third problem is that the bill changes rules on the decision-making process on planning, constructing, and maintaining the transportation system by giving metropolitan planning agencies control rather than just input over a large portion of the transportation funds.

Now, decisions on the allocation of all federal highway funds are handled by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department.

Walt Wildman, executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association and District 10 chairman for the Missouri Transportation Development Council, called the Senate bill "a good first step."

Wildman praised the efforts of Bond and stressed that Emerson will be "an important player in producing federal legislation that is favorable to donor states such as Missouri.

"It is legislation such as this that will allow Missouri to complete the projects as listed in the 10-year needs study," said Wildman.

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce President Bob Hendrix said the bill still has a long way to go, adding that he was "encouraged and discouraged at the same time."

Hendrix also suggested that while the Senate plan may give Missouri more money, it may not provide additional money for road and bridge construction in outstate areas because of the increased emphasis on urban mass transit and such things as bicycle paths in large cities.

"I'm not against the metropolitan areas because they have real transportation problems," said Hendrix. "But too often they get focused in on metropolitan areas and don't give enough attention to the road system leading to the metro areas."

Hendrix said he was hopeful the final bill will help provide more outstate funding.

"I'm just hoping the House can come back and do something and then the conference committee will come out with a better bill than this," remarked Hendrix.

Emerson said a good highway bill is important for southern Missouri.

"Good roads and bridges provide the fundamental link for increased economic development," declared Emerson. "For example, our Missouri highways provide the connection to vital Mississippi River shipping ports a producer-to-market connection that allows trucks to carry produce and consumer products to barges and ships that carry our goods to the rest of the world.

"Increasing our ability to move these products to market is certainly an attractive enticement to businesses looking to expand and will provide increased job opportunities for our residents."

Emerson said he will push for a bill that will rectify the funding problem "that has plagued Missouri for so long."