Date: 04/19/2006

Final
SUMMARY for HCR06-1005

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to postpone House Concurrent Resolution 06-1
Refer House Concurrent Resolution 06-1005 to the C		PASS
FAIL


02:40 PM - House Concurrent Resolution 06-1005 - Concerning the Suspension of the State Gasoline Tax

 Representative Cloer, prime sponsor explained the provisions of the resolution. Representative Cloer said that the concurrent resolution requests voter approval for a constitutional amendment to allow the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) of the General Assembly to temporarily reduce or suspend the excise tax on gasoline and other motor fuels for a period of up to 90 days on one or more occasions. The committee engaged in a discussion about the fiscal note and the cost of the bill. Staff distributed a memorandum on gasoline taxes to committee members (Attachment A). The committee discussed the cost of the bill in terms of less money spent on transportation projects as compared to the gas savings that individuals would reap from the resolution. Representative Cloer commented that on average, drivers would save about $14 per month from the proposed suspension. The committee continued to discuss the projects that would receive less funding under the bill. A spokesperson from the Colorado Department of Transportation commented on the foregone revenues for certain transportation projects (see following testimony).

The following persons testified:

02:41 PM -- Mr. Herman Stockinger, Colorado Department of Transportation, testified in opposition toward the bill. Mr. Stockinger said that if the gas tax was suspended, it would benefit individuals by about $14 per month. Mr. Stockinger commented on the financial loss that governments and the state patrol would incur under the resolution. Mr. Stockinger closed by commenting on the list of transportation projects that would receive less funding under the resolution.

02:45 PM -- Mr. Mike Braaten, Colorado Municipal League, testified in opposition toward the bill. Mr. Braaten commented that the resolution would leave less money for the Highway Users Tax Fund and cost local governments money that fund vital transportation projects. Mr. Braaten closed by saying that the gas tax is a user fee that pays for the construction and upkeep of the local government transportation infrastructure.

02:49 PM -- Mr. Tony Milo, Colorado Contractors Association, testified in opposition toward the resolution. Mr. Milo said that the measure will carry a much greater cost than the benefit it provides Colorado taxpayers.

02:52 PM -- Mr. Stan Dempsey, Colorado Petroleum Association, testified in opposition toward the resolution. Mr. Dempsey discussed the impact the bill would have on local communities especially on the upkeep of roads and bridges. Mr. Dempsey discussed the negative impact on the state transportation infrastructure the measure would impose should it become law. Mr. Dempsey closed saying that gasoline distributors would find the collection and remitting process much more work if the tax is intermittently suspended. Colorado needs a good transportation infrastructure to move goods from production to the public.

02:59 PM -- Ms. Sheila Hicks, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the measure. Ms. Hicks talked about the dependency that persons with disabilities have on secondary modes of transportation. Lower gasoline prices can mean that persons with disabilities will have more transportation options should the legislation pass.

03:01 PM -- Ms. Carolyn Myers, representing self, testified in support of the legislation and discussed the financial burden that high gas prices place on middle-class citizens.

After a brief committee discussion, the bill was placed on the table for action.
BILL:HCR 06-1005
TIME: 03:06:56 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Refer House Concurrent Resolution 06-1005 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a 9-4-0 vote.
SECONDED:Benefield
VOTE
Benefield
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Crane
No
Frangas
Yes
Garcia
No
Harvey
No
Jahn
No
Kerr
No
Marshall
No
Massey
No
McCluskey
Yes
Judd
No
Vigil
No
Not Final YES: 4 NO: 9 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:HCR 06-1005
TIME: 03:11:37 PM
MOVED:Garcia
MOTION:Moved to postpone House Concurrent Resolution 06-1005 indefinitely. The motion passed on a 9-4-0 vote.
SECONDED:Judd
VOTE
Benefield
No
Cloer
No
Crane
Yes
Frangas
No
Garcia
Yes
Harvey
Yes
Jahn
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Marshall
Yes
Massey
Yes
McCluskey
No
Judd
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



03:12 PM

Adjourn.