The enactment of HB9 is expected to enhance local governments' ability to directly address transportation needs specific to their communities. By allowing counties to impose funding mechanisms like local mobility improvement fees and taxes on motor vehicle fuel, it potentially opens new revenue streams to support the development and maintenance of roads, transit facilities, and other infrastructure projects. However, it also emphasizes the necessity of transparency and public involvement, as funding methods can only be imposed following a majority approval by voters in elections called by the county commissioners.
Summary
House Bill 9, entitled the Texas Local Option Transportation Act, is significant in providing counties in Texas with improved options for funding transportation and mobility projects. The bill introduces a framework for counties to impose local option funding methods to finance various infrastructure projects. It is applicable primarily to counties that are part of metropolitan planning organizations with specific population criteria, allowing them to collect various fees, taxes, and charges related to transportation improvements.
Contention
Notably, the bill includes provisions that prevent counties from losing traditional state transportation funding as a result of adopting local funding methods. This safeguard has been a point of concern for critics who fear it could lead to inequities in funding. Moreover, the bill's mechanisms for project selection and funding allocation must satisfy the criteria set by metropolitan planning organizations, ensuring that all projects receive proper justification and regional planning oversight. These elements together indicate a push towards more localized control of transportation funding but require careful balancing to guarantee equitable outcomes.
Identical
Relating to a county motor fuels tax in certain counties for mobility improvement projects; providing authority to impose the tax, issue bonds, and impose penalties.
Relating to state and municipal motor fuel taxes; providing civil penalties; creating criminal offenses; requiring occupational licenses; authorizing the imposition of taxes; providing for increases and decreases in the rates of taxes.
Relating to the funding of projects by the Public Utility Commission of Texas to promote the reliability and resiliency of the power grid in this state; authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds.
Relating to the elimination of certain property taxes for school district maintenance and operations and the provision of public education funding by increasing the rates of certain state taxes.
Relating to the creation of and the powers of a comprehensive multimodal urban transportation authority, including the power to impose taxes, issue bonds, and exercise limited eminent domain authority.
Relating to the movement of certain vehicles, including vehicles transporting an intermodal shipping container; authorizing a fee; creating an offense.