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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Lujan		DATE TYPED:	02/01/02		HB	HJM 45/aHTC
SHORT TITLE:		Regional Public Transportation Alternatives				SB
					ANALYST:		Valdes

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

$0.1

Indeterminate

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HTC Amendment

The House Transportation Committee amendment adds regional councils of government as entities that should be consulted in preparation of the regional transportation systems study.

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Joint Memorial 45 requests the Legislative Council direct the appropriate legislative committee study, in consultation with the New Mexico Municipal League and the New Mexico Association of Counties, to study the need for and barriers to regional transportation systems. The study should also identify resources and mechanisms to promote effective regional transportation across multiple governmental jurisdictions.

Additionally, the committee should include draft legislation to create regional transit authorities and report recommendations to the Legislature by November 2002.

Significant Issues

Regional transit services would improve the quality of life and enhance economic opportunities for New Mexico residents. Additionally, public transportation services would relieve existing congestion that plagues highways used to access some of the state’s urban work centers.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Significant federal match funding is available through the Federal Transit Administration for local and regional public transit. However, many New Mexico communities do not have available resources to provide the necessary match. Creation of regional authorities would provide a mechanism to generate revenues for the required match.

Current state law restricts the State Highway and Transportation Department from budgeting more than $50.0 annually from the road fund for transportation programs. This prevents the department from assisting local communities with the required match funding.

The State Highway and Transportation Department stated this proposed legislation does not impact the department. Therefore, a fiscal impact was not provided.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The State Highway and Transportation Department could provide technical expertise to the legislative committee assigned to study this issue.

MV/prr