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House Transportation committee adds paragraph urging action on looming public-transit cuts to appropriations letter
Summary
The House Transportation Committee voted to add a paragraph to a budget-adjustment letter expressing concern about pending reductions to public-transit service and urging the House Appropriations Committee to support measures that would prevent service cuts without requesting new appropriations.
The House Transportation Committee voted Thursday to add language to a budget-adjustment letter to the House Appropriations Committee expressing “deep concerns” about pending reductions to public transportation routes and services and asking appropriations to support efforts to prevent cuts.
The paragraph under consideration, presented to the committee by Damian Leonard of the Office of Legislative Council, said the committee “has deep concerns regarding pending reductions in public transportation service and cuts to existing routes.” Leonard told members the paragraph did not request new money but asked that appropriations consider steps to facilitate efficiencies that could prevent reductions within existing appropriations.
A number of committee members debated the strength of the wording. Several members objected to the term “hopes,” saying it sounded weak for a letter to appropriations; members suggested alternatives such as “encourages” or “expects.” After discussion the committee moved to include the paragraph with language to ask the Appropriations Committee to take steps it deems appropriate to help prevent service reductions.
Representative Thompson moved to include the paragraph in the letter to Appropriations; another member seconded the motion. The chair conducted a straw poll; members voted to include the paragraph. Committee staff said they would send the draft to editors for a final review of punctuation and then circulate a copy for signatures before sending it to House Appropriations.
The committee did not take a formal recorded roll-call vote at the meeting; the decision was made by voice/straw poll and committee staff will finalize wording before transmission to Appropriations.
The matter arose as the committee closed its discussion of a budget-adjustment package and asked legislative counsel to provide a new paragraph for inclusion. Members emphasized that the paragraph was meant to urge the appropriations process to consider efficiency measures rather than to direct the Agency of Transportation, which the committee cannot lawfully instruct without legislation.
The committee then moved on to the day’s scheduled presentations on aviation and environmental policy.
