Idaho House panel introduces transportation funding bills

Idaho lawmakers wrestled with multiple transportation funding proposals Friday, the same day severe flooding and storms wreaked havoc across the state’s already crumbling bridges and roads.

The House Transportation and Defense Committee eventually agreed to introduce three modest funding proposals and rejected the most significant $49 million funding bump because it would have required a 5 cent gas tax increase.

Republican Rep. Clark Kauffman, of Filer, says raising the gas tax isn’t ideal, but it is the best option the state has to address its lack of transportation funds.

However, other GOP members said they could not stomach raising taxes in a year when the state is expected to have a budget surplus.

Instead, the committee introduced two different versions of legislation that would funnel general fund surplus dollars to transportation projects and a separate measure that would transfer gas tax funds that now go the Idaho State Police to transportation.