Committee Approves Revised Transportation Bill, Again
The Georgia House Transportation Committee Monday voted for a newly-revised plan to raise $1 billion for the state’s roads and bridges. The committee had approved a previous version of the bill last week, but it failed to garner enough support to advance to the full House. Fiscal conservatives within the GOP, as well as city and county leaders, said it would wreak havoc on the finances of local governments and demanded changes.
Bill sponsor and House Transportation Committee Chairman Jay Roberts, R-Ocilla, acknowledged the setback at Monday’s committee meeting.
“I kind of feel like Groundhog Day. Here we go all over again,” said Roberts.
The latest version of the bill allows cities and counties to hold onto more of their tax money. In addition, the bill now includes the elimination of a tax break on jet fuel, which benefits airlines like Delta. Some of the more fiscally conservative Republicans said the addition of the jet fuel provision makes them more inclined to support the legislation.
Otherwise, the core elements of the bill remain intact, including an increase of the state excise tax on motor fuel by about 21 cents per gallon and the elimination of a popular tax credit on electric cars.
Roberts believes the bill can now pass the full House.
“We finally have basically our cities and our counties and our school boards all in agreement on this,” said Roberts. “Now there may be a county or city in certain areas of the state that have some issues with it but as far as their organizations now, we have people working together.”
Nonetheless, it’s still unclear whether a majority of House Republicans will support the bill. Several members last week blasted the legislation as a major tax hike.
The bill now heads to the Rules Committee, which decides what bills get to the House floor. The full House could vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.
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