A move by the Indiana House Ways & Means Committee to pay for roads could result in hundred of millions of dollars in cuts to other state programs.
The House voted 14-9 to immediately shift all the revenue from the state sales tax on gasoline to pay for roads as opposed to phasing it in over a 3-4 year period.
Right now only 14-percent of the sales tax collected goes to roads, the rest is dedicated to the general fund.
Such a move means about $300 million in annual cuts would have to come from existing programs. Indiana has an estimated $1 billion in annual road need.
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House Democrats had offered the idea last week, however Republicans had originally turned it down long before that. However Ways & Means Chairman Tim Brown says they changed their minds after numerous conversations with constituents.
When asked exactly where the cuts would come from Brown said the House would introduce its budget next week and spell out more details.
Brown did also note that their priorities were schools, roads and maintaining the state reserves.
The House GOP plan also increases gas and fuel taxes as well as instructs INDOT to look at the possibility of tolling some roads.
You can hear Dr. Tim Brown in the Leon-Tailored Audio above. The interview runs 10 minutes.
