Federal road funding coming, Byrd, Jay say $110 million in budget, senators vow
By Tom Searls
The Charleston Gazette (West Virginia)
January 18, 2007
State Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox said Wednesday he misspoke when telling senators the day before the state would lose more than $100 million in federal road-building funds.
U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., let Mattox know the slightly more than $110 million has already been secured in the federal budget. In addition, Byrd’s office explained that sometime in the summer, after first getting a hand on appropriations made by Republicans prior to the Democratic Senate takeover in November, earmarking funds for specific road projects will again take place.
Byrd, the senior member of the U.S. Senate, serves as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee.
Mattox said a representative of Byrd’s office was quick to learn of his remarks Wednesday and called his office. “Apparently they say I was in error in my remarks,” the secretary said following a meeting of the House Roads and Transportation Committee.
He still insisted his department is in need of more than $300 million a year to keep pace with statewide highway construction and maintenance. The agency has proposed a number of measures to meet that need.
Mattox said learning the state will still get the big chunk of federal funds helps. “Good news for us. It puts us in a good situation,” he said.
Mattox has proposed that lawmakers renew the 5-cents-a-gallon excise tax on gasoline. It is set to expire in August and raises about $55 million annually.
Other proposals include sending sales taxes collected on auto parts to the road fund for about $50 million a year and placing the budgets of some other department expenses in the budgets of agencies they work under.
Mattox also told lawmakers:
There is $200 million available to upgrade U.S.? 35 in Putnam and Mason counties.
That highway, along with one in the Northern? Panhandle and Corridor H in the Eastern Panhandle, has been made a “priority road” by the Manchin administration. The state has no plans mandating how decisions? would be made on upkeep and tolls on any roads built by private and public funds.
