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| Volume 16, Issue 2 | Summer 2004 |
Legislative Update: Still in a Holding PatternOn June 23, the U.S. House of Representatives passed another extension to the TEA-21 reauthorization. You may have also heard that we may not get a bill passed until January. The President issued the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) last fall proposing to spend $256 billion over the next six years. The Senate bill, S.1072, passed Feb. 12, calls for $318 billion in spending over the next six years and would require an increase in gas taxes. The House bill H.R. 3550, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), proposes a spending limit of $275 billion over the same term. According to Mr. David Sprynczynatyk, director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation, North Dakota favors the Senate bill because there is more money for North Dakota due to fewer earmarks. On June 9, a Highways and Transit Reauthorization Conference Committee was named. The committee has 14 republicans with Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) as chairman, and 11 Democrats with Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minnesota) as ranking democrat. The goal of the committee is to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate bills and present Congress with one bill to pass and send to the President. The President has said he will veto anything over $256 billion. The joint committee has met twice, on June 23 and July 7, 2004, trying to reach agreement. What does this mean for North and South Dakota? Both states have received a portion of their funding equal to the 2003 funds from Federal Transit Administration. However, Bruce Fuchs says they have delayed funding for purchasing 16 buses, 7 buildings, 15 computers, plus for the three larger communities in North Dakota receiving funds directly from FTA. In South Dakota, Bruce Lindholm reports that they have received 9/12 of their capital funding, and operating funds the remaining 3/12, or about $250,000, is still on hold. Marketing on a Shoe String BudgetThursday, Sept. 16, 2004 This seminar will provide fresh ideas for promoting your services through professional looking marketing pieces on a shoe-string budget. Mark your calendars. The instructor will be Lyn Hellegaard, Director of Community Affairs, from Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association (MR TMA). She came to MR TMA from a 20-year career in the financial field, serving as an assistant vice president at First Interstate Bank. Please go to www.surtc.org/training/shoestring/ for more information and registration. Calendar of Events
Upcoming TrainingUpcoming Training Sessions: Dates are all "to be determined"
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