Legal issues cause changes in road fund law 3

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Legal issues cause changes in road fund law SALEM (AP) - State transportation officials said Wednesday that limits on how some highway revenue is spent would threaten proposed spending for other state agencies. Oregon Department of Transportation officials said they expect to seek changes in more than 20 laws because of legal advice that some highway revenue is wrongly subsidizing non-road programs. Attorney General Hardy Myers has been examining dozens of programs, most vehicle-related, to see if restricted highway money is being spent for other uses. A 1980 voter-passed constitutional amendment limits uses of highway revenue - mostly from gas taxes and auto license fees - to road projects. Myers' office is questioning 48 programs in the transportation agency. In all, the office has uncovered about $29 million in spending that does not comply with the state's constitutional requirement that fuel taxes and vehicle fees be spent on the highway system. Myers' report should be ready next week. Department spokesman Pat Cooney said it hasn't yet been determined how much highway revenue is affected. On Wednesday agency officials outlined findings they expect. The average Oregonian isn't likely to face major fee increases or notice much other difference in dealing with motor vehicle matters or other offices, said ODOT program manager Victor Dodier. ``It's not a big impact for most people,'' he said. ``Most of this will present a management problem through the Legislature.'' Much of the legal doubt involves court rulings that highway revenue can be used only to ``directly facilitate'' motor vehicle travel. Myers sparked the inquiry last year when he said highway revenue couldn't pay for a program to post truckers' drug test results on their driving records. An example of a current fee in doubt is a $4 charge included in the cost of driver's licenses. The fee goes to a fund that pays out about $5 million a year for medical expenses of indigent people injured in traffic accidents. The list also includes relatively large programs, such as the $9.9 million collected for the injured motorist fund. Visit our back issue library Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Western Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2000 Lee Northwest Publishing