House OKs 10-year transportation plan

Topeka ? Kansas legislators sent Gov. Mark Parkinson a 10-year, $8.2 billion package of highway, bridge and other transportation improvements on Tuesday, seeking to build on investments made in 1989 and a decade later.

The House passed the plan 86-38 in one of its final actions of the 2010 session, which ended Tuesday. Since Senators have approved the measure, it goes to Parkinson for his signature.

The Democratic governor had made the plan one of his priorities from the start of the session.

How they voted

Here are local results of the 86-38 vote Tuesday by which the Kansas House approved a bill creating a 10-year, $8.2 billion program of transportation improvements. A “yes” vote was to pass the bill and send it to Gov. Mark Parkinson. A “no” vote was against the bill. Of the 76 Republicans, 38 voted “yes,” 37 voted “no” and 1 did not vote.

Of the 49 Democrats, 48 voted “yes” and 1 voted “no.”

William Prescott, R-Osage City, Yes

Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, Yes

Anthony Brown, R-Eudora, No

Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, Yes

Tony Brown, D-Baldwin City, Yes

Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, Yes

Ann Mah, D-Topeka, Yes

“This makes Kansas a better place to live,” said Rep. Margaret Long of Kansas City, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation Committee.

The plan will be financed through a variety of sources, including a sliver of the new 1 percentage point sales tax increase legislators sent to Parkinson earlier Tuesday. It also authorizes the state to issue up to $1.7 billion in bonds, as well as raise registration fees on heavy trucks and tap federal bonds programs.

“As we continue to work our way out of this recession, this new transportation plan will be a tremendous economic development engine for our state, creating tens of thousands of jobs throughout Kansas and investing billions into local communities,” Parkinson said in a statement. “Every Kansan, every county and every business will benefit from this project.”

Opponents in the House said the plan was too expensive and was rushed to the floor without thorough review. Senators inserted the plan in a House bill, meaning the chamber either had to accept it as it was without making amendments or send it to committee. But because the session was ending Tuesday, it was unlikely it would have been worked out before legislators left Topeka.

“I’m certainly not against transportation,” said House Transportation Committee Chairman Gary Hayzlett, a Lakin Republican. “I think it would be nice to have some discussion about this.”

Senate President Steve Morris made the transportation plan a key piece of legislation for the session. He said passing the plan was important for the state to convey to contractors and others associated with transportation that Kansas “isn’t going to let things slide.”