The infrastructure package, also known by the BRIDGE Act would rely on a combination agency budget cuts and borrowing from the state’s rainy day fund. Dick Hall, chairman of the Mississippi Transportation Commission, on Monday said the latest edition of the infrastructure-funding plan would not be sufficient or dependable enough to use unless it produces a new source of revenue. The amount of cash that is deposited into the state’s Working Cash Stabilization Fund (also known as the rainy-day fund) will determine how much funding the plan receives. The lawmakers set aside 2 percent of their budget each year for emergency situations when creating the annual budget. Hall stated that relying on this fund for maintenance of roads and infrastructure is not sustainable. He also noted that the Legislature had to use the state’s Rainy Day Fund in order to balance the state budget for three consecutive fiscal years. Hall stated Monday that there is no reason to believe it won’t (be used for this purpose) in future, until our economy and revenue get a lot better than they are now. “… It is impossible to run an operation such as the Mississippi Department of Transportation with what is available. Even if the department were to receive $350 million to $400million more each year, which Hall stated was necessary to maintain the state’s roads, bridges and roads, it would still take many years to address the department’s highway backlog. Hall, who is the representative of the central district of the commission, stated that nearly 1,000 bridges are in dire need or require total reconstruction. The cost of this could be as high as $1.5 billion. However, the department would need to spend about $1 billion on highway repairs or replacements. Hall stated that road projects can take up to six years to complete. It is important to ensure the department has a steady, predictable source of income. Hall stated that this can only be achieved by raising new money. Hall strongly recommended that the state increase its fuel tax, as he did in previous years. Hall stated that he had been through the same process in 1987 as a legislator and it surprised him that the solution has not changed. Hall said, “I don’t know how bad it can get… There will be a bridge giving way sooner or later that will cause serious accidents.” It’s a good thing it won’t end in human lives, but it will happen if nothing is done.” Mississippi bridges have collapsed in the past. Hall stated that they had been “lucky” that these incidents hadn’t resulted in any deaths. Last week, the House approved its version of the Senate plan that would have set aside 1 percent of each fiscal year’s general fund revenue estimate, which amounts to about $60 million per year, in a fund managed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The House plan would also include auto tag fee divertions and revenue from casino taxes in the fund. It also assembles a study committee to encourage public-private partnerships for infrastructure development. The Senate could either approve the House amendments or send the bill to a joint conference panel. The bill will take effect July 1. The Senate approved the Senate’s plan last month. It would take effect July 1.

Hall stated that the department prefers the House bill at this point. However, the right solution will require “a difficult and political action.”