HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 968 Gtr. 1992
E.ESo'JLUTTJN FILE N'0. �
A RESOLUTION
® SUPPORTING ADDITLONAL LEGISLATIVE
APPROPRIATIONS AND USER CHARGE INCREASES TO
PROVIDE PROPER FINANCING FOR
STATE-LOCAL HIGHWAYS AND LOADS
WHEREAS, enormous increases in Texas' population, accompanied by inflationary
pressures and snowballing rates of road and bridge deterioration, have resulted
in a near-crisis situation requi=ring th• immediate infusion of additional trans-
portation funding; and
WHEREAS, recent surveys of the state's transportation system reveal that:
(1) Texas leads the nation in the number of deficient bridges
(17,200) and deteriorated state roadways (7.740 miles) .
(2) With the advent of small, fuel-efficient cars. Texas highway
users are paying lose, per mile of travel, for road construc-
tion and maintenance than 20 years ago. The state's 5q per
gallon gas tax is the lowest in the nation, and has not been
increased in 27 years. Moreover, in 1965, 272 of the state
budget went for transportation= in 1982, only about IOX of
the state budget will be spent for transportation-related
purposes.
(3) Texas motorists are paying an increasing "bad roads" tax, which
costs each motorist an average of $291 per year in wasted
gasoline, tire rearp car repair*, insurance and Medical bills.
(4) Over the next 20 years, the population of Texas will increase
by about 50 percent, and the number of licensed drivers will
increase by approximately the same amount. The agate will
have to triple its current rate of annual expenditures ($751
million) in order to tjsadle the anticipated traffic increase.
(5) Transportation spending of $51 billion will be needed over the
next 20 years to overcume the current backlog of needs--including
$6.2 million for road and bridge rehabilitation. $30.3 billion
for reconstruction, $6.7 billion for new routes, and 57.7 billion
for maintenance; and
WHEREAS. the state's transportation funding problems are mirrored at the local
level. The cost of 20-year regional mobility plans just for the state's four
large metropolitan areas is in the $34 billion range. Additionally;
!� (1) A TML survey of Texas cities indicated that the backlog of
street repair needs exceed $1 billion--a sum that will grow
each year, as cities fall further and further behind.
(2) Upwards of 20 percent of all municipal streets--more than
12,000 miles--currently are in need of major repair.
(3) Texas cities are spending an estimated $180 million per year
on street repairs--58 percent more than three years ago. But
__ they are still falling over further behind, because the #treat
repair backlog is growing at rates that exceed local spending
Increases. The cities will never be able to bring their streets
and bridges up to standard without state financial assistance.
(4) The deterioration of city streets and bridges will continue to
accelerate in the future. The 10 million motor vehicles already
in the scat@ are wearing out local roads and bridges faster than
they can be repaired. Twenty years from now, the cities will have
16 million vehicles to contend with--m0re than half again today'a
volume.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the delegates assembled at this 70th Annual
Conference of the Tex&• Municipal League that THL support passage in the 1983
Legislature of an umnlbys integrated legislative package contatntag the following
componencet
(1) Increased state appropriations, including $1 billion in
additional annual funding for the State Department of
Highways 6 Public Transportation, of which more than 602
($600 million) would be spent in urban areas.
(2) $100 million per year for the City Street Improvement
Fund (the "TML Pothole Bill") proposed during the 1981
legislative session, and $70 million per biennium in state
grants to city transit systems for capital improvements.
(3) Increases in the U/gallon state motor fuel tax and motor
vehicle registration f..va in order to shift more of the
financial burden for transportation improvements aver to
users, and away from the state General Fund.
PASSED AND APPROVED at Fort Worth, Texas this 26th day of October, 1982.
APPROVED:
/s/ Alan Henry
President
ATTEST:
je/ nick Brorm
bxecutive Director
(Submitted by Uob Bolen, Mayor, Fort Worth, and Carole Keeton MCClellgp, Mayor, Austin)