Barry, transit advocates have backup bill if governor’s plan fails

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and other transit advocates have made passage of Gov. Bill Haslam’s transportation plan their top priority in the coming weeks.

Its approval would give cities the ability to hold public referendums on whether to impose a sales tax surcharge to fund mass transit projects.

But now, if the governor’s IMPROVE Act fails, there’s a fallback plan for transit backers.

Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville, and Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, recently filed placeholder caption legislation that would work as a stand-alone proposal for the local transit referendum option.

Dickerson called the bill “a back-up should Metro feel the need, depending how the IMPROVE Act plays out in the coming weeks.”

“It would allow for them to go through the process of increasing revenue in order to fund mass transit.”

Gov. Haslam plan would allow local referendums for transit funding

The House version of the proposal, first reported by the Nashville Business Journal, is co-sponsored by House Majority Leader Glen Casada, R-Franklin. Casada told The Tennessean in December that he would look favorably on a local option, saying at the time, “It’s another tool that I think (local governments) could use and use wisely.”

The local transition option is just a side component to the main part of Haslam’s comprehensive transportation plan – which involves a seven-cent increase on the sale of gasoline in Tennessee, 12-cent increase for diesel fuel to raise revenue for improvements to roadways and bridges. There would be offsetting reductions to other taxes.

Passage is far from a guarantee. Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, has countered the governor’s plan with their own proposal that would not touch the gas tax to pay for road and bridges improvements and instead rely on sales tax. His counter proposal, unlike Haslam’s does not include the local transit option.

The local option within the governor’s bill only allows a referendum on sales tax. It’s unclear whether the back-up bill would be just as limited.

Barry, transit advocates have backup bill if governor’s plan fails

Barry has said she wants to move ahead with a referendum on transit funding in 2018 if given the ability via passage of state enabling legislation.

Barry ramps up pitch for transit funding referendum; eyes ballot in '18

House leaders push alternative to Haslam's gas tax plan

She’s hoping to secure funding to begin paying for portions of a $6 billion regional transit system plan that the Regional Transportation Authority, composed of Barry and other Middle Tennessee mayors, adopted last fall. The plan involves a wide assortment of transit options including light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit both within Davidson County and connecting to outlying counties.

Although a plan B now exists, Barry’s administration and other transit supporters still favor the governor’s comprehensive transportation bill.

During recent public appearances, Barry has sought to build public support for Haslam’s plan, singling out $1.4 billion in listed projects for and around Davidson County that the plan would address through 2030.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.