GOP transportation chairman proposing gas, sales-tax hikes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The chairman of the Missouri Senate Transportation Committee is proposing increases in the state gas and sales taxes -- a stance that could bode well for a transportation plan in the legislative session that starts today.

Sen. Morris Westfall, R-Halfway, says he will introduce legislation Thursday asking voters to raise the state's 17-cent-a-gallon motor fuel tax and 4.225 percent sales tax to benefit transportation.

Without revealing specific numbers, Westfall said his plan would raise more than the $250 million he proposed last year but less than the roughly $600 million that Gov. Bob Holden had proposed.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says it could use up to $1 billion more annually to meet all the state's transportation needs.

Failed last year

The 2001 Legislature failed to pass a transportation funding plan, partly because of the skepticism of Westfall and other rural, Republican senators.

"The fact that I'm doing this says that I want to try to address the problem," Westfall said Tuesday. "I'm going to put a package together. It will have a tax increase."

Westfall's Democratic House counterpart, transportation chairman Don Koller of Summersville, is proposing a larger tax-and-fee increase in the neighborhood of the $700 million plan that the House endorsed last year.

But the success of any transportation plan hinges mostly on the Senate, where opposition has been strongest and where just one member can effectively block legislation.

New optimism

This year, members of both parties are expressing a newfound optimism.

"I believe you're going to see a change in philosophy from a lot of people in the Senate," said Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, the transportation chairman until Republicans gained control of the chamber last year. "I think this might be the year."

Staples says legislation asking voters to approve a "modest increase" of 4 cents in the fuel tax stands a good chance of being referred to the ballot by lawmakers.

A 1-cent increase in the fuel tax raises $38 million, of which $27 million goes to the transportation department and the rest to cities and counties, a MoDOT spokes-man said.

Under Westfall's plan, the sales-tax increase would be used to offset existing motor fuel tax revenues that would be transferred away from other agencies to the transportation department.

Each 1-cent increase in the state sales tax generates about $620 million.

Westfall's reasons

Westfall said he has embraced transportation tax increases for three reasons:

The departure of controversial state Highways and Transportation Commission chairman S. Lee Kling of St. Louis, whose term of expired last fall.

The need for the transportation department to know whether to expect new funding or make do with what it already receives.

His personal survey of Missouri's transportation system, which he conducted by driving to all corners of the state and riding trains and city buses.

"We've always agreed on the need, but I've made an effort to recognize it to be more familiar with the need," Westfall said.

Westfall's transportation plan is important because of his key position, but others also have ideas.

Transportation committee member Sen. Ted House, D-St. Charles, is proposing to raise the fuel tax by 5 cents, the sales tax by one-quarter cent and vehicle and drivers license fees by 25 percent to 33 percent.

Sen. Wayne Goode, D-St. Louis, is proposing to raise the fuel tax by 6 cents a gallon and the sales tax by 5/16 of a percent to offset the transfer of existing fuel tax revenues from other agencies to the transportation department. His bill also would raise vehicle registration fees to meet the 2000 consumer price index.

Rep. Joan Bray, D-St. Louis, is proposing to raise fuel taxes by 3 cents, state sales taxes by one-quarter cent, vehicle registration and drivers license fees by 50 percent and vehicle sales taxes by 0.5 percent. The bill also would allow toll roads.