A proposal to establish a countywide board which would be charged with deciding how funds would be spent to address transportation needs in Warren County was presented Monday night. Elected officials …
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A proposal to establish a countywide board which would be charged with deciding how funds would be spent to address transportation needs in Warren County was presented Monday night. Elected officials and staff from government entities throughout the county met to hear the proposal which was presented by Steve Etcher, executive director of the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission. The political subdivisions represented included Warrenton, Wright City, Truesdale, the Village of Innsbrook and Warren County. Only Marthasville and the Village of Pendleton were not represented. Etcher pointed out that the state Legislature is working on a plan to seek voter approval of a statewide 1-cent transportation sales tax on the November 2014 ballot. The tax, if approved, would generate an estimated $7.9 billion to fund transportation projects over a 10-year period. Etcher asserted that the proposed transportation authority would “level the playing field” between political entities in Warren County and help the county “rise above several surrounding regions” with respect to development. “There wouldn’t be a ‘mile-down-the-road’ effect,” remarked Jim Schuchmann, a Wright City alderman. “It’s up to us. We’ve got to make our own success,” commented Dan Hampson, Northern District commissioner. If all the county’s governing boards — the county commission, boards of aldermen and boards of trustees — participate in this proposed initiative, it could be mutually beneficial to the entire county, Etcher said. He added that if established, the board — which would be comprised of elected officials and representatives appointed by the member communities’ governing boards — would be responsible for helping “build a framework” for growth. “How do we deal with infrastructure improvements MoDOT doesn’t budget?” Etcher asked. “People want control of their tax dollars,” he added, noting that an effort involving cooperation of all the county’s governing entities would enable the county to make decisions reflecting the needs of the area. Establishment of a countywide transportation authority would have to be approved by the county’s voters. Etcher noted that mechanisms such as transportation development districts (TDDs) are “special tools to build infrastructure.” However, the use of such tools also result in disparity in communities’ development, he said. For example, the city of Warrenton is seeking to establish a TDD to generate funding for the local match for a new overpass west of the interchange between Interstate 70 and Highway 47. Etcher pointed out that TDDs provide funding for transportation needs within a defined geographical area. Rather than having several TDDs, Etcher suggested that area officials consider a more broad approach which could benefit the entire county. Etcher said the transportation development authority would be charged with making decisions for all modes of transportation, such as railroads and riverborne commerce. The creation of the transportation development authority would be accompanied by a countywide sales tax proposal. The authority would be responsible for determining how funds generated by the tax would be used. But Etcher noted that the countywide transportation authority also would have a “great deal of flexibility” to prioritize and work to address the county’s transit infrastructure needs. The various representatives agreed to discuss the proposal with their respective governing bodies. Etcher said if all the governing bodies decide to move forward with the plan, another meeting will be scheduled to begin working on the details of how the transporation authority would be run. No timetable was identified specifically for creation of the countywide transportation authority. Questions Raised Representatives of Warrenton, including Mayor Jerry Dyer and Alderman Fred Flake, both pointed out that their city has a significant investment of resources — in terms of time and money — into their city’s TDD. Both men asked what position this new proposal puts Warrenton in. “It’s a wrinkle, but it’s a managable wrinkle,” Etcher remarked. He said the city should continue to proceed with its TDD project until the time comes to make a commitment on the sale of bonds. At that time, he said working through a countywide transportation group would offer a means to combine the two plans. “How can I sell this plan to my rural constituents?” asked Hubie Kluesner, the county’s Southern District commissioner, whose district includes areas such as Dutzow, Concord Hill and Marthasville. Etcher said residents in southern Warren County likely would not pay the proposed county transportation sales tax because many of those people shop in nearby Franklin County. Kluesner also asked how Warren County would compare to other areas in the region in terms of taxes if the plan is approved. Etcher said areas to the west still would be lower than Warren County, and businesses to the east in areas such as St. Charles County would have higher sales tax rates. He said Warren County sales taxes would be comparable with Washington and the Highway 100 corridor. The proposed makeup of the countywide transportation authority would call for one elected representative of each municipality and one appointed member, and three representatives from Warren County. MODOT Logo