Bosma: ‘Very Reasonable’ Hikes to Fund Road Plan
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Speaker of the Indiana House says a long-term road and bridge funding plan unveiled Wednesday morning will help put Hoosiers to work. "An investment in infrastructure creates jobs, not just road construction jobs, but jobs for employers, especially in a manufacturing-heavy state," said Brian Bosma (R-88). He calls the tax and fee hikes to pay for the projects "very reasonable," saying the average Hoosier would pay $5 more per month than they do right now. During an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Bosma says he will work "collectively" with Governor-elect Eric Holcomb and Democrats in both chambers to pass the bill.
Bosma says House Bill 1002, which was crafted by House Committee on Roads and Transportation Chair Ed Soliday (R-4), could raise an average of $1.2 billion per year over the course of 20 years. The funding formula involves a variety of sources, including raising gas and diesel taxes and exploring the possibility of interstate tolling. "Eighty percent of the goods that are manufactured here travel worldwide first on Indiana highways," he said. You can’t claim to be the ‘Crossroads of America’ without a strong infrastructure."
Lawmakers last year approved a boost in transportation funding for two years. The investment was not the long-term solution all were seeking, but it allocated $1 billion for new construction and fixes to aging infrastructure.
Republicans once again hold a supermajority in both the House and the Senate. The remainder of their budget year agenda included focusing on education, job creation, workforce development, addiction treatment and public safety. You can connect to more about the GOP legislative agenda by clicking here.