HD17 - Interim Report of the Equity of Current Provisions for Allocating Highway Construction Funds in Virginia
Executive Summary: The 1982 Appropriations Act directed the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to conduct a study of the reasonableness, appropriateness, and equity of the current statutory provisions for allocating highway construction funds among the various highway systems and among the various localities that share in those funds. This report represents an interim analysis dealing solely with highway construction allocations. The system for allowing highway funds has evolved over many years. However, in 1977, the General Assembly recognized the need to simplify the process and undertook a major revision of the allocation statutes. Since 1977, rising construction costs and dwindling revenues available for construction purposes have made additional study and revision appropriate. The recommendations contained in this report are all based on an empirical analysis of the current allocation provisions. The amounts proposed for allocation are shown in various tables throughout this report. They are based on budgetary estimates prepared by the Department of Highways and Transportation after passage of the 1982 Appropriations Act and H.B. 532, which provided new funds for highway purposes. More recent estimates of the Highway Maintenance and Construction Fund revenues indicate that actual allocations may be lower than the amounts previously estimated. Furthermore, changes in federal motor fuel taxes will increase amounts available in certain categories. Nevertheless, tables showing comparison of current and proposed allocations are useful tools in evaluating the relative impact of any new distribution formula. This interim report will be supplemented over the next six to eight months with an additional review of allocations for public transit, maintenance assistance, and ordinary maintenance. These topics have been added to the study at the request of the Commission. |
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