Wilson calls for $1 billion transportation fund

Voters this fall may be asked to waive the constitutional ban on special funds, enabling a $1 billion endowment to help pay for major transportation projects.

Rep. Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell and chair of the House Transportation Committee, filed two pieces of legislation on Friday related to just that.

The first, House Joint Resolution 42, would ask voters to amend the constitution to allow a special fund.

The second, House Bill 329, would also need to pass. That's a proposal to sock away $1 billion and use the earnings - plus money from the state's fuel tax and motor vehicle registrations - to pay for transportation projects.

Gov. Sean Parnell wants to suspend the fuel tax, offering Alaskans some relief from high prices at the pump while the state's still taking in surplus revenues from oil production.

Wilson offered this statement in a press release concerning her bills:

"Transportation is the basis of our economy. It provides for the movement of goods and services, from the florist delivering flowers, to people going from place to place," Wilson said. "Approximately 89% of our transportation funding comes from the federal government. There is going to be a federal Transportation Reauthorization bill in the next year and everything we are hearing is unfavorable for states with small populations."