Capital Budget No Guarantee
6/23/2000
York County dodged Gov. Tom Ridge’s line-item veto ax entirely, but that by no means guarantees funding to the more than $57.5 million in projects authorized for the county.
Statewide, the governor signed into law Thursday more than $6.1 billion worth of projects under the state’s capital budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Ridge vetoed another $55.33 million in projects and also vetoed $2.48 billion in spending for public highway projects. The latter are still eligible for funding outside the capital budget.
Locally, more than $10 million was included to straighten Dead Man’s Curve, the area between exits 4 and 5 on Interstate 83. In two other York County transportation projects, $565,000 was included to fix up hangars at York Airport, and $300,000 could go to upgrade railroad switches at Zarfoss Road near the West York Industrial Park in West Manchester Township.
State Rep. Todd Platts, R-Springettsbury Township, called these projects and others involving railroads vital to attracting large companies to York County. Platts said he was glad they made the cut.
But Platts and state Rep. Steve Nickol, R-Hanover, both cautioned against counting on the money. The capital budget amounts to a “wish list” and an important first step in getting projects funded, Platts said.
“The real challenge then is getting the governor to agree to release the funds,” Platts said, adding that some projects might have to wait up to 10 years to be completed.
The capital budget authorizes spending but does not require that all the projects be funded. It’s a good thing, too, since the cost of the projects exceeds the amount of spending authorized by the General Assembly.
Lawmakers included more than $1.3 billion in redevelopment assistance projects in the capital budget it sent to Ridge. The governor cut that to about $1.29 billion, still far more than the $295 million in authorized spending.
Nickol calls that part of the budget a “Christmas tree” that Ridge is forced to prune. Most of the redevelopment projects don’t get done because lawmakers overreach, he said.
“The price of saying ‘yes’ to everybody is that the governor has control over what’s actually spent,” Nickol said. “That our own fault, our own lack of discipline.”
The transportation funds are another matter, but still not guaranteed. While recent capital budgets have expiration dates of four years on most projects, older budgets did not include sunset dates. Some projects listed in capital budgets dating back to 1968 are still technically in the mix.
So, even though the listed projects for highway assistance projects and transportation assistance projects do not outpace the permitted spending, it is not likely that all of those will be funded either. But, unlike most of the projects vetoed by Ridge, at least they have a chance.
Capital Projects
The following projects were authorized for funding Thursday when Gov. Tom Ridge signed the capital budget into law. The projects are not guaranteed funding, but are, in the words of state Rep. Todd Platts, “the first step in the process of securing state funds.”
Transportation assistance projects: $250,000 for Maryland Railroad LLC to to rehabilitation work at its West York and Hanover yards and repair three bridges, $300,000 for York Rail LLC to upgrade switches and highway crossings at Zarfoss Drive in West Manchester Township; $565,000 for the Air Transportation Authority of York County to replace hangars at York Airport; $640,000 for Yorkrail, Inc. for rehabilitation work on tracks and crossings.
Redevelopment assistance projects: $4,560,000 for Leg Up Farm, Inc., a York therapy and rehabilitation center for children with special needs, to build a therapeutic horse stable; $2,250,000 for Central Market House for interior renovations; $3000,000 for Crispus Attucks Association to build a job-training center; $1,250,000 for the Maryland and Pennsylvania Authority to restore rail lines and historic railroad cars.
Public highway projects: * $1,270,000 to rehabilitate and improve Eisenhower Drive from Oxford Avenue to Route 116, Hanover area; $1,850,000 for restoration, bridge rehabilitation and safety improvements to Route 30 from Lancaster County line to Route 462 junction; $3,000,000 for reconstruction and safety improvements to Route 74; $10,017,000 for reconstruction of Interstate 83 between exits 4 and 5 (nicknamed Dead Man’s Curve); $1,220,000 for improvements to Interstate 83 from Exit 6 to Exit 8; $4,050,000 for pavement restoration, bridge rehabilitation and safety improvements to Interstate 83; $10,306,000 to widen Route 94 from Hanover Road to Kuhn Drive; $1,361,000 to widen and spot resurface Rout 94 from Granger Avenue and south; $1,500,000 to widen and reconstruct Center Street from Rout 116 to Ridge Avenue in Hanover and Penn Township; $5,200,000 to widen Route 24 from Carol Road to Windsor Road; $2,700,000 to re-align Route 124 by removing an S curve near Christenden Road.
* Highway projects costing less than $1 million are not included.
By JOE HAINTHALER, The York Daily Record