Post by pavel on Mar 29, 2016 3:46:08 GMT -6
NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday proposed additional spending on transportation, TennCare and education in the state's next fiscal year, beyond the state budget request he sent to the state legislature nearly two months ago.
The additional spending will be detailed April 7 in a comprehensive amendment to the state budget, or appropriations, bill that he first unveiled Feb. 1. Because governors are required to present their budget plans to lawmakers by Feb. 1 for the fiscal year that starts July 1, they also traditionally add a major budget amendment later in the annual legislative session, after more up-to-date revenue projections are made.
The administration released excerpts of the budget amendment on Monday, including an adding $12 million to the $130 million that Haslam originally proposed to transfer from the state's general fund to the highway fund. If the budget is approved as amended, $42 million of the total $142 million in new highway funding would go toward local governments' transportation needs.
Legislators have pressed the governor to use part of the state's revenue surplus that would normally flow into the general fund to the highway fund to repay more than $300 million "borrowed" from highway fund more than a decade ago when the state was experiencing a budget deficit. Politically, that's seen as a prelude to a request next year by the governor for a fuel tax increase.
Read more: www.commercialappeal.com/news/government/state/haslam-adds-spending-in-budget-amendment-2f1ee643-b2ab-0825-e053-0100007fbc93-373769301.html
The additional spending will be detailed April 7 in a comprehensive amendment to the state budget, or appropriations, bill that he first unveiled Feb. 1. Because governors are required to present their budget plans to lawmakers by Feb. 1 for the fiscal year that starts July 1, they also traditionally add a major budget amendment later in the annual legislative session, after more up-to-date revenue projections are made.
The administration released excerpts of the budget amendment on Monday, including an adding $12 million to the $130 million that Haslam originally proposed to transfer from the state's general fund to the highway fund. If the budget is approved as amended, $42 million of the total $142 million in new highway funding would go toward local governments' transportation needs.
Legislators have pressed the governor to use part of the state's revenue surplus that would normally flow into the general fund to the highway fund to repay more than $300 million "borrowed" from highway fund more than a decade ago when the state was experiencing a budget deficit. Politically, that's seen as a prelude to a request next year by the governor for a fuel tax increase.
Read more: www.commercialappeal.com/news/government/state/haslam-adds-spending-in-budget-amendment-2f1ee643-b2ab-0825-e053-0100007fbc93-373769301.html