Patrol, opponents question transportation tax advertising

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The TV ad promises voters that they can "help secure funding for the Missouri State Highway Patrol" by backing Proposition B.

But voting for the sales and fuel tax increases on the Aug. 6 ballot won't automatically mean more funding for the patrol.

In fact, there's nothing to guarantee that any of the estimated $483 million annually would go to the highway patrol.

Opponents of the tax increase say the statewide television advertisement is deceptive.

"The ad is definitely misleading people to believe that there's more money in Proposition B for the highway patrol," said Fred Lindecke, co-chairman of the No on B campaign committee.

"And there's nothing in the law to support that contention."

The ad is paid for by the Time for Missouri Committee, which insists the commercial is technically correct.

"We chose our words carefully and said 'helps secure' -- and that's our intent," said Rodney Gray, co-chairman of the supporting committee of highway contractors, business groups, mass transit supporters and others.

Doesn't mention roads

While stressing aid to the patrol, the ad says nothing about the money going to improve Missouri's roads. Surveys show safety is an important concern for Missourians, Gray said.

Proposition B would raise the state sales tax one-half cent to 4.725 cents a dollar and the fuel tax 4 cents to a total of 21 cents a gallon.

Ballot wording

The ballot proposal does not specifically earmark any money for the state highway patrol.

In fact, there is no way the sales tax revenue -- estimated at $332 million annually -- could go to the patrol, because Proposition B calls for the money to go to a state roads fund and to several other uses.

Some of the estimated $151 million annually in fuel tax revenue could make its way to the patrol, but only if the Legislature later appropriates it for that purpose.

"There's the possibility there may be funding for the highway patrol, but it doesn't secure anything for us," said patrol spokesman Lt. Tim Hull.

Fuel tax revenue go into the state highways and transportation department fund, much of which later is transferred to state roads but part of which also is used for other state agencies.

During the 2003 fiscal year, which started July 1, the highway patrol is budgeted to get $119.4 million -- roughly 67 percent of its total funding -- from the transportation department fund, the patrol said.

That's about the maximum amount possible under a law that capped transfers of transportation dollars to other agencies at the fiscal 2001 level.

Proposition B removes that transfer cap. But so did a separate bill signed into law earlier this year.

That means the patrol could get more money even without passage of Proposition B.

But other factors also work against a funding increase for the state highway patrol.

The state Highways and Transportation Commission has released a road improvement plan that assumes the patrol would get the same inflation-adjusted proportion of transportation funds that it currently gets.

Removes transfer cap

Transportation commissioners plan to use their full share of the fuel tax revenues for state roads and bridges.

Under their plan, any more money for the patrol would mean less for roads.

"We're not assuming any big windfall for the patrol at this time," said Pat Goff, the chief financial officer for the Department of Transportation.