Public Works committee amends capital package: warehouse cost corrected, new items added, backhoe and tram funding approved

The Public Works and Highways committee adjusted several capital-line items, approved additional agency requests and recorded a sequence of straw-poll votes and roll-call comment during its session.

Key actions and outcomes recorded in the hearing:

Market Street Marine Terminal warehouse: Staff correction and approval — Committee members noted an earlier vote had used an incorrect figure for the Pease Development Authority Market Street Marine Terminal warehouse removal and office replacement. Budget staff corrected the figure upward by $353,300 to $1,973,300 (line 81 on the comparison sheet); staff and the chair confirmed no committee objections and the revised figure was accepted into the package.

Community college additions (Representative Edgar motion): The committee approved adding two items for the community college system — $1,300,000 for critical maintenance and $500,000 for an energy management system — a combined $1,800,000. The motion was seconded and advanced by straw poll with no recorded opposition.

Fish and Game backhoe ($350,000): Committee discussion revealed uncertainty whether the department intended to buy a new backhoe or use Fish and Game funds. Staff advised the committee that the department had requested replacement equipment and that the committee could choose to fund it from general funds. A straw poll to include $350,000 from general bonding funds for a Fish and Game backhoe returned one nay and otherwise passed; staff said the $350,000 would be included in the capital subtotal.

Cannon Mountain Tramway (+$6,000,000): Representative Bogart moved to add $6,000,000 to the committee’s previously approved $20,000,000 allocation, bringing the committee total to $26,000,000. The motion carried after a recorded voice vote (one oppose noted).

University system footnote language change: The committee approved non-dollar language that gives the University System Board of Trustees limited discretion to allocate an existing $8,000,000 appropriation across eligible projects and requires progress reports in October and April; staff said the change does not alter the dollar amount.

Amendment wording correction: Members approved a small editorial fix to an amendment (page 6, line 31) to change “or the” to “of the.”

Committee totals and next steps: Staff provided an updated general-fund subtotal after the votes of $132,470,945 (below the chair’s target of $133,000,000). The chair and staff said they will circulate a marked-up amendment and comparison sheet to members before executive session; the Senate may add, subtract or modify the package during its review.

Votes recorded by count or voice were generally straw polls or voice approvals rather than formal roll-call votes on the floor; where the transcript recorded counts, those are listed below.