05/26/2011

Senate Budget

The NC Senate released their budget yesterday and it was full of surprises. Some of the changes from the House budget result in additional money for maintenance and contract resurfacing. The House budget had $355 million for contract resurfacing but the Senate version has $415. There is also more money appropriated for System Preservation and Maintenance Reserve. All System Preservation funds will be spent on replacement of deficient bridges.

The Senate budget pulls all funds for the Mid-Currituck Bridge and Garden Parkway (Gaston). Most observers believe that the Senate leadership “gave” the deletion of the Garden Parkway to freshman Senator Kathy Harrington. Harrington is a co-chair of Senate Transportation Appropriations. Harrington is also reported to be the only member of the delegation from Gaston and surrounding areas who is opposed to the Parkway. I think it is likely that the Garden Parkway will be put back into the budget when the budget differences are worked out between the House and Senate. I am not sure what will happen to the Mid-Currituck Bridge.

The urban loops are returned to the Highway Trust Fund in the Senate budget. Surprisingly, other than the five projects announced for acceleration in March of this year, all listed loop projects in the Highway Trust Fund have been “de-listed” and DOT has been given the authority to select and schedule loop projects.

At this time, the big question is the likelihood of the Governor to veto the General Assembly’s budget and whether or not they have the votes to override a veto. The Senate has enough majority members to override a veto but the House is 4 votes short of the number they would need to override. Five Democrats voted with the Republicans in favor of the House budget. If four of those stick with the majority a veto could be overridden.