03/16/1993 05:00 PM House TRA

  HB 143:  MARINE FUEL TAX REVENUE SHARING                                     
                                                                               
  Number 400                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR FOSTER brought the next bill before the committee,                     
  SSHB 143, and asked for REPRESENTATIVE JERRY MACKIE, as                      
  PRIME SPONSOR of this legislation, to provide the committee                  
  with a brief overview.                                                       
                                                                               
   Number 412                                                                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE said he introduced HB 143 in response                  
  to interest expressed by several communities in his district                 
  in maintaining local harbor and dock facilities better.  The                 
  bill provides to a municipality a portion of state                           
  watercraft fuel taxes collected within the municipality.                     
  The portion is determined by the ratio of city owned docks                   
  and harbors to all publicly-owned docks and harbors in an                    
  area.  The bill is a revenue sharing of tax receipts derived                 
  from facility users.                                                         
                                                                               
  According to REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE, most harbor facilities                   
  located throughout the state are currently owned by the                      
  Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT/PF).                 
  These facilities are usually operated by local                               
  municipalities.  The DOT/PF has tried to interest the                        
  municipalities to take over ownership and maintenance                        
  responsibilities.  Reluctance within the communities comes                   
  from the lack of repairs currently needed and the cost                       
  implications ownership would create.  He said SSHB 143                       
  provides an ability for municipalities to obtain                             
  compensation for future maintenance and repair costs.  He                    
  explained the concerns which had previously been brought up                  
  in this bill and said they had been met in the previous                      
  committee of referral in CSSSHB 143(CRA).                                    
                                                                               
  Number 484                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON referred to the fiscal note from the                   
  Department of Revenue in relation to SSHB 143 and asked                      
  Representative Mackie to comment on the amount.                              
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE stated he felt the fiscal note was not                 
  adequately reflective of the legislation.  He felt the work                  
  created by HB 143 would not require an extra position as                     
  shown in the fiscal note on this legislation, and since the                  
  bill had a further referral to the Finance Committee, they                   
  could address that at that time.                                             
                                                                               
  Number 530                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON moved for passage of CSSSHB 143(CRA)                   
  from committee with individual recommendations.  There being                 
  no objections, the bill was so ordered.                                      
                                                                               
  CHAIR FOSTER ADJOURNED the House Transportation Committee                    
  meeting at 6:00 p.m.