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Committee asks JFO for estimate of early mileage-fee receipts to consider one-time town highway aid
Summary
During T bill markup, members asked the Joint Fiscal Office to estimate revenues from a mileage-based user fee for Jan. 1–June 30 so the committee could consider directing one-time receipts to town highway aid; VTrans said receipts would likely be known by late July.
Committee members at the March 18 T bill markup asked the Joint Fiscal Office to produce a ballpark estimate of revenues that might be collected under an anticipated mileage-based user fee (MBUF) between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2027, to explore whether those one-time receipts could be directed to town highway aid.
Representative Corkran framed the possibility as a one-time funding window tied to the MBUF start date, noting estimates provided to the committee ranged from a few hundred thousand dollars up to about $1 million depending on filing and payment behaviors.
A motion was made and seconded to have JFO prepare an estimate and the committee approved pursuing that analysis. Members discussed drafting bill language that would dedicate up to a specified amount of revenues collected during the period to town highway aid, subject to contingencies about sufficient receipts and administrative logistics.
Michelle Benau of the Vermont Agency of Transportation told the committee the agency expects final receipts to be known by the end of July and, if funds are available, the agency could distribute checks to towns using the existing town highway aid formula. She added the agency had not had time to fully consider or endorse obligating funds outside the governor’s recommendation.
Members signaled support for directing one-time MBUF receipts to towns but also flagged timing and procedural concerns about adding late changes to the bill without full testimony and review.
Next steps: the committee requested a JFO estimate to inform whether language directing MBUF receipts to town highway aid is feasible and to guide drafting contingent bill language.
