CC Resolution No. 1378 2618
RESOLUTION NO. 1378
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS, URGING THE 76T" TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE
APPROPRIATIONS FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND
EXPANSION; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF.
WHEREAS, road and bridge maintenance and expansion are a core function of
government; and
WHEREAS, mobility is fundamental to Texas' economic vitality and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, maintaining mobility requires a continuing investment of state resources to
maintain and expand the surface transportation infrastructure to meet identified needs; and
WHEREAS, current level investment in Texas' road and bridge maintenance and
expansion averages less than $4 billion annually; and
WHEREAS, Texas should increase its annual investment in surface transportation
infrastructure to a level that will enable the Texas Department of Transportation ("TxDOT") to
address at least one-half of the state's identified transportation needs; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS:
Section 1: That the 76`h Texas Legislature be and hereby is urged to increase the
annual appropriation to TxDOT by at least $1 billion, by using resources available to Texas from
the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, by dedicating State Highway Fund 006
revenues exclusively for road and bridge maintenance and expansion, by reducing motor fuel tax
revenue loss by moving the point of collection from the distribution level to the terminal rack, by
increasing the 2060 Permit fee to reduce the passenger vehicle subsidy of the
oversize/overweight freight vehicles and by imposing a severe sanction on drivers of
oversize/overweight vehicles who do not have a valid 2060 Permit.
Section 2: That the 76°i Texas Legislature be and hereby is urged to increase the state
tax on motor fuels and, if necessary, the fee for motor vehicle registration. The goal is to raise
enough revenue to fund increased TxDOT annual appropriations sufficient to address at least
one-half of Texas' identified transportation needs. The estimated amount of new funding needed
is $1.7 billion annually less the amount of the annual increase approved in the 76`h Legislative
Session.
Section 3: That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the offices of the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the
Texas Transportation Commission and the chairs of the following legislative committees: Senate
Interim Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on State Affairs, House Committee on
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Appropriations, House Committee on Transportation, House Committee on Ways and Means,
and House Select Committee on Revenue and Public Education Funding.
Section 4: This resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage by
the City Council of the City of Baytown.
INTRODUCED, READ and PASSED by the affirmative vote of the City Council of the
City of Baytown this the 14th day of January, 1999.
/,fiC.G C'. ete— —
PETE C. ALFAR , Mayor
ATTEST:
EILEEN P. HALL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
&GK �7
ACIO RAM REZ, S ., ity Attorney
c:\MyDocuments\Council\Meetings\January\Request761hLegislaturelncremeRoadBridgeMaintenanceExpansion.doc
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