| Updated: 9:56 p.m.
Another big piece of Utah’s budget came into focus on Wednesday as lawmakers took the wraps off a $2.26 billion transportation and construction funding package. That includes $1.4 billion in bonds for transit and construction projects.
Leaders in the House think this could be the largest transportation spending plan in the state’s history. But, Senate Republicans are not yet convinced borrowing such a large amount of money is prudent right now.
“In a year when we’re flush with cash, you have to ask whether it makes sense to bond right now,” said Assistant Senate Majority Whip Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy.
Utah lawmakers propose $2.2 billion in road, rail and state park improvements
Utah lawmakers propose $2.2 billion in road, rail and state park improvements
and last updated 2021-02-25 19:59:38-05
SALT LAKE CITY â A $2.2 billion infrastructure spending bill has been unveiled in the Utah State Legislature, spending taxpayer money to improve roads, speed up trains and improve state parks. Itâd be a record amount of infrastructure spending in the state, said House Majority Whip Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, who is sponsoring
The bill, made public late Wednesday, would allocate money to double-track Frontrunner trains from Provo to Ogden, as well as funding a bus rapid transit system in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley. It s because I-15 is reaching capacity as the state continues to see population growth, Rep. Schultz said.
After a long debate over whether electric vehicle owners should "pay their fair share" on Utah roads, the House defeats a bill that would increase registration fees for alternative-fuel vehicles.
The aim of last year’s change was to prevent Utahns from staying in jail simply because they can’t pay their way out. But the case of a child pornography suspect has some lawmakers rethinking their past support of bail reform.