Transportation Bill Clears Senate

The Senate Republican’s signature transportation funding bill has passed out of the chamber Wednesday, after the majority leader said this week that it would be delayed.

Senate Bill 1 would send a ballot question to voters in 2019 asking to issue bonds for funding roads. The state would commit 250 million dollars each year to pay them off and there would also be a one time infusion of 500 million dollars. Majority Leader Chris Holbert had said he wanted to wait on the bill until after the annual budget bill cleared both chambers.

“I didn’t decide to do it the sponsors did. They were ready to move it and they did.”

Republicans originally wanted the question to go before voters this fall. It was a compromise with Democrats who wanted to see if voters will approve a sales tax increase for transportation being backed by the Denver Chamber of Commerce. Senate’s transportation measure cleared unanimously and now goes to the House.

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