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State earmarks $8 million for roads near Ellsworth, Box Elder official says
Summary
City government affairs director Rob Timm told the council that Senate Bill 130 would direct $8,000,000 from the state general fund to the Ellsworth Area Roadway Coalition to repair roads damaged by construction traffic around Ellsworth Air Force Base; he said the appropriation passed the House 65–2 and the Senate 32–0.
Rob Timm, Box Elder’s government affairs director, told the council that Senate Bill 130 would allocate $8,000,000 from the state general fund to the Ellsworth Area Roadway Coalition — a partnership that includes Pennington County, Mead County, Rapid City and Box Elder — to repair roadways affected by construction traffic tied to Ellsworth Air Force Base. “That $8,000,000 allocation passed the House today … 65 to 2,” Timm said, adding that the measure previously passed the Senate 32–0.
Timm said the funding is drawn from taxes tied to construction on the base and associated local sales, and that the appropriation will “remove a big burden on the local taxpayers” who otherwise might have to pay for those repairs. City Administrator Doug Curry introduced Timm and thanked him for leading the effort; Timm said staff are working on scheduling a possible governor’s signing ceremony once final approval is complete.
Council members asked whether the money results from a new tax; Timm replied it is not a new tax but comes from excise and sales tax revenues generated by base construction activity. He estimated the broader tax base created by base construction at scale and said Box Elder’s request sought $8,000,000 from a larger pool of revenues generated by that activity.
