Congress is unlikely to come up with an agreement to finance a long-range federal transportation bill, U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., said Wednesday.
"No path has been presented to me that will lead us to what we need, which is a five- to seven-year funded highway bill," the freshman representative from Little Rock told a luncheon audience of about 50 current and former elected officials from central Arkansas. "That is what this country needs."
The event was held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Metroplan, the region's long-range transportation planning agency.
He also said the lack of a federal transportation bill is "costing jobs in this state," pointing to the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department pulling 75 road and bridge construction projects totaling $335 million from its bid schedule this year because of uncertainty over federal transportation funding.
Without an agreement on a long-term solution, Congress has been agreeing to a series of short-term extensions of legislation authorizing the federal Highway Trust Fund to support state highway and transit projects. The latest extension was for two months and expires July 31.
Arkansas and other states have been trimming projects from their summer construction season because unless new money is found, the Federal Highway Administration likely will begin paring back the amount it reimburses states for road and bridge projects.
Typically, projects are paid for with state money, then a state highway department seeks reimbursement from the federal government.
Finding a long-term fix has been elusive, but a Senate panel took a step last month in passing a six-year bill that authorizes a 3 percent increase per year in funding for highway projects. A way to pay for it hasn't been found.
"I don't see that permanent kind of compromise being developed either in the House, the Senate or the White House," Hill said. "The president has taken the gas tax [increase] off the table and has said he will oppose it, and I don't know if there is a substantial majority in both houses to support it, anyway."
Of the solutions that don't include increasing the tax on gasoline, which has been at 18.2 cents per gallon since 1993, Hill expressed doubts about a White House-backed initiative that would fund road and bridge construction with a one-time repatriation of the overseas earnings of American companies that have "parked" billions of dollars abroad to avoid paying corporate income taxes on the earnings.
"That was used back in 2005," Hill said. "It didn't raise enough money because it was voluntary. That is still an open issue on how a compromise will be reached to do a long-term plan."
He said the short-term fixes will continue, "but that doesn't allow a highway department to be very thoughtful about how they're going to spend the money.
"So that's a tough issue, one that I don't bring, unfortunately, a solution to you."
Hill praised Metroplan and those who have served on its board, saying the organization has fostered development in central Arkansas, including recreational trails that he urged the agency and its board to consider expanding to rural parts of the region.
"What's happened in the last 20 years is sort of amazing, really," he said.
Metroplan and elected officials have helped "make us the envy of the world for cities of our size."
Meanwhile, the agency is beginning a search to replace its top two officials, who have announced they will retire at the end of 2016.
Jim McKenzie, the executive director, just celebrated his 26th year with the agency Wednesday. Richard Magee, the deputy director and planning director, has been with Metroplan for 41 years.
A subcommittee of the Metroplan board will decide on whether to hire a national search firm or advertise locally, as well as decide the composition of the board interview committee, the method of hiring, compensation, minimum qualifications, and a time frame for the recruitment and selection process.
Mayflower Mayor Randy Holland, who is the Metroplan board president, will be chairman of the subcommittee. Other members are Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola; North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith; Barry Hyde, county judge of Pulaski County; Bryant Mayor Jill Dabbs; Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher; Ward Mayor Art Brooke; Central Arkansas Transit Authority Executive Director Jarod Varner; and Allen Dodson, the former county judge of Faulkner County.
Metro on 07/02/2015