PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Senate gave initial approval Wednesday to a Republican lawmaker’s plan to increase vehicle license fees to free up money to fix roads, but Senate President Steve Yarbrough said it will move no further.
Sen. Bob Worsley’s proposal is designed to stop the Legislature’s annual raid on nearly $130 million that is supposed to help cities and counties build and maintain roads. The issue arises each year as some or all of the money is taken to fund the state Highway Patrol.
But raising taxes is a non-starter for most Republicans, despite the need to find a solution. Yarbrough allowed Worsley to battle a fierce fight with fellow Republicans Wednesday even though he knew he would never put Senate Bill 1146 up for a formal vote.
Worsley knew too, but said he believes it is a critical issue. His proposal survived repeated roll-call votes where all 13 Democrats joined with Worsley and two other Republicans to keep the measure alive. Opposed were Yarbrough and 13 other Republican senators.
Worsley’s proposal would have given the director of the state Department of Transportation authority to raise license fees and eliminate an exemption to those fees for propane-fuel and electric vehicles. The money would be dedicated to the Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol, and the money now taken from the Highway User Revenue Fund could again go to counties and cities.
“I did what I promised I would do,” Worsley said. “As transportation chair I had a study committee, these were the best ideas we had to get DPS funding out of HURF. I put it in front of the body, my caucus has thrown up on it. I don’t know what else to do.”
Yarbrough said he encouraged Worsley’s effort, but didn’t think it could succeed in the House even if he had allowed a formal vote on Wednesday. He said finding more resources for transportation is a critical issue, but Worsley’s proposal wasn’t it.
Worsley faced a tough series of votes and acrimony from his own Republican caucus over the issue.
“My goal was certainly not in any way to have any of my members beaten up,” Yarbrough said. “But it’s the Senate, its debate, it what we do. And so yes, I’m sure sometimes people feel beat up.”
Worsley said the opposition came down to one word that is poison for the Republican member of the Legislature.
“It’s taxes, taxes, raising taxes,” Worsley said. “I don’t know how we ever get past where we are.”
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