Phoenix, Arizona
appropriations; highway
patrol
An emergency measure,
appropriates approximately $26 million to the Department of Public Safety (DPS)
for FTEs, overtime expenditures and highway patrol vehicles from the highway
user revenue fund for FY 2001-2002 and FY 2002-2003.
Since 1995, Phoenix area
highways have seen a 57 percent increase in accidents and a 37 percent increase
in the number of miles traveled on Phoenix area highways. To address the expansion of freeways and
growth in traffic, this legislation appropriates monies for additional staff
for the highway patrol and increases in overtime expenditures in order to improve
response to accidents and transition issues at the end of officer shifts.
The current budget allows
vehicle replacement that provides an eight-year replacement schedule or
replacement of vehicles at 160,000 miles.
As of December 1, 2000, 31 percent of DPS’s 820 patrol vehicles are
beyond the 100,000-mile replacement standard.
The highway user revenue
fund (HURF) consists of gasoline and use fuel taxes, motor carrier fees, motor
vehicle registration fees, vehicle license taxes and other miscellaneous
fees. These revenues are then
distributed to the cities, towns and counties and the state highway fund. This
legislation appropriates approximately $26 million from HURF.
According to the Joint
Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), this appropriation reduces the amount of
HURF available for distribution to city and county governments. However, it does not represent a reduction
from the FY 2000-2001 distribution to city and county governments but provides
a lower percentage of increase. In FY
2000-2001, the total HURF distributions to city, county and controlled access
highways were $585.2 million. In FY
2001-2002, after the appropriation to DPS from this bill, HURF distribution to
cities, counties and controlled access highways is expected to grow by $20.1
million. Without the provisions of this
legislation, HURF distribution to local government would increase by $26.4
million, a difference of $6.2 million.
In FY 2002-2003, after appropriation to DPS from this legislation, the
distribution to cities, counties and controlled access highways is expected to
grow by $43.9 million above FY 2000-2001.
Without the provisions of the bill, HURF distribution to local
government would increase by $52.9 million, a difference of $8.9 million. Assumptions made by JLBC regarding this
fiscal impact are contained in the fiscal note associated with S.B. 1243.
1. Appropriates $4,622,600 and 58 FTEs in FY 2001-2002 and $7,598,000 and 58 FTEs in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for additional highway patrol personnel and operating expenditures for the personnel.
2. Appropriates $850,100 in FY 2001-2002 and $1,700,200 in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for overtime expenditures for highway patrol officers.
3. Appropriates $5,442,200 in FY 2001-2002 and $6,255,400 in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for replacement of highway patrol vehicles.
4. Exempts the appropriation from the cap of $10 million on HURF than can be distributed to highway patrol annually.
5. Exempts appropriations from lapsing until June 30, 2003.
6. Contains an emergency clause.
Amendments
Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Adjusts the appropriation for FTE's.
2. Clarifies the number of FTE's appropriated in the bill.
3. Exempts the appropriation from the HURF cap of $10 million to distributed to highway patrol.
4. Requires the appropriation to lapse on July 1, 2004.
Senate Action
APPROP 1/30/01 DP 10-0-2-0
TRANS 1/25/01 DP 7-1-0-0
3rd READ 2/07/01 DPA 28-2-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 8, 2001