Senator trying to limit hopes on highway bill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- U.S. Sen. Kit Bond may be in a better position this year to help boost Missouri's ailing transportation system, but the former Republican governor isn't promising the world.

And even if Bond is able to bleed more money out of Congress, that could put more pressure on cash-strapped Missouri to match incoming federal funds.

Bond is the new chairman of the Senate subcommittee that will help write a transportation funding bill this year, meaning he has considerable sway over the distribution of highway dollars among the states.

But Bond is trying to temper expectations.

"I'm going to do the best I can, but the state has obligations and responsibilities as well, and the people of Missouri with their leaders need to determine those responsibilities," Bond said in an interview.

Missouri voters already have spoken by overwhelmingly defeating a tax proposal last August that would have raised more than $500 million annually for transportation.

Even that amount would have fallen short of covering the $1 billion in annual needs that the state transportation department says it cannot meet with its current funding.

More time in D.C.

The defeat of the transportation tax makes it unlikely that state lawmakers will place another large funding measure before voters this year. So some have turned their attention to the federal government, and to Bond.

"We always follow very closely what's going on at the federal level, but this year will be a particularly interesting year for us," said Henry Hungerbeeler, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation. "We're going to be spending more time in Washington."

The federal government generally supplies about 80 percent of the state's highway funding, although it supplies 90 percent for interstates. While Congress provides the money, Missouri decides how to spend it.

Missouri is one of several states that pays more in federal gasoline taxes than it gets back under a complex federal formula. Missouri receives 90 to 95 cents on every dollar paid.

That amount was set under the last federal transportation bill, which boosted Missouri's share from around 80 cents on the dollar. The six-year, $203 billion measure constituted the biggest public works program in history when it became law in 1998.

If Bond is able to secure additional funding for Missouri under this year's bill, it may create a more vexing situation. That's because the state also would need to come up with money to meet its 10 percent or 20 percent matching requirement.

'Would be embarrassing'

Transportation officials estimate that Missouri may not be able to match the current federal funding levels in the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2007. If the state must match more federal money and economic recovery is slow, Missouri could miss out on money because it can't meet the federal match.

"That would be embarrassing if we could not make use of federal funds because we don't have significant state funds to match," Hungerbeeler said.

Bond worked on the previous highway bill as a member of the transportation subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

This year, Bond will serve as the subcommittee chairman, increasing his clout when it comes to claiming money for Missouri roads, bridges, aviation and public transit. But the position also requires him to consider the needs of other states in order to gain enough support to pass a bill.

Bond, who served two terms as Missouri governor, said his focus is on the future of state roads and not the past, which has been marked by controversy since faulty financial projections resulted in the scrapping of a 15-year highway plan in the 1990s.

"I think you could point some fingers and cry a lack of leadership in Jefferson City," Bond said. But "the important thing is what we do from here."

In the state Legislature, where Republicans have a majority in both chambers for the first time in a half century, raising transportation revenues through new taxes is an unlikely scenario.

'Putting reform first'

Sen.-elect Jonathan Dolan, one of the people mentioned as a potential chairman of the state Senate Transportation Committee, said he is focused on improving the credibility of the transportation department.

"We are not putting revenue first, we are putting reform first. If we have a means to raise some revenue that would be great," said Dolan, R-Lake St. Louis. "But the most important thing is to answer the call of accountability and reform."

The battle over transportation spending in Missouri has traditionally divided along rural and urban interests. A lot is riding on a Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission meeting this month at which the state's highway spending formula will be revisited.

"If they go overboard one way or the other, it's probably going to create some problems," said Senate Appropriations Committee chairman John Russell.

Russell, R-Lebanon, maintains that rural interests are consistently being shortchanged. Rep. Larry Crawford, who is likely to chair the House Transportation Committee, also is keeping a close eye on the commission's Jan. 10 meeting before developing transportation legislation.

"I think that meeting is a good first step and we'll wait and see until the commission takes action," he said.

Bond said he will continue to meet with state leaders to discuss potential strategy. The federal transportation bill is expected to be completed long after the state legislative session ends in May.