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House removes $1.5 million Milford addition and approves Senate Bill 248, 62–6
Summary
The Utah House amended Senate Bill 248 to remove a Goldenrod addition that raised the bond from $48.5 million to $50 million for a Milford railroad crossing, then passed the bill 62–6 and sent it back to the Senate for concurrence.
Representative Bush, the House sponsor, brought forward Senate Bill 248, a transportation general-obligation bond measure, and explained that caucus agreements had narrowed projects to produce an original bond amount of $48,500,000. He told members a Goldenrod amendment raised the total to $50,000,000 by adding a railroad crossing project in Milford, Utah, and said he had not been consulted about the change.
"This is a transportation general obligation bond," Representative Bush said, and later: "This goldenrod copy puts it up to 50,000,000 from what I understand." Representative Butters urged that the House get answers before voting, noting that "adding another million and a half to our bond is not just peanuts."
Representative Holdaway moved to delete the Goldenrod insertion (line +121) and return the bill to the original $48,500,000, saying removal would allow the House and Senate to discuss the project in conference. Representative Hutchings asked what was added to push the total to $50 million; Holdaway replied it was funding for the Milford railroad crossing, which he said was not on the Transportation Commission's project list.
Representative Noelle urged caution about deleting the item outright, saying Milford (in Beaver County) is a railroad location where trains run through downtown and that a proposed new facility could depend on relocating tracks. "It's about 30 to 40 jobs dependent upon that crossing," Noelle said and recommended the House discuss the matter with the Senate rather than simply deleting the provision.
After discussion, the House voted by voice to adopt the amendment to remove the Goldenrod addition. Representative Bush summed in favor of passing the bill with the amendment removed and noted that the Transportation Commission would likely need legislative authorization before pursuing any relocation. Voting on Senate Bill 248 (Transportation General Obligation Bond) was opened and then closed; the bill passed with 62 yes votes and 6 no votes and will be returned to the Senate for concurrence.
