Democrats framing their infrastructure plan

DES MOINES – Legislative Democrats are framing their version of a major infrastructure bonding package that mirrors Gov. Chet Culver's proposal without borrowing to build roads and bridges, key lawmakers said Wednesday.

Members of a House-Senate working group said they are nearing consensus on a draft plan, but Sen. Steve Warnstadt, D-Sioux City, stressed “it's not carved in stone” as talks continue between the two legislative chambers and the governor's office.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, described the bonding discussion as a work in progress that could see discussion by his 56-member caucus as early as Wednesday.

Preliminary sketches peg $275 million for local infrastructure needs, like flood protection and control, disaster-related rebuilding, water quality and housing; $100 million for broadband technology, alternative energy and rail projects; $150 million for state vertical infrastructure needs.

Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said the overall concept is in the ballpark of Culver's $750 million plan, but lawmakers believe roads and bridges already are covered by the constitutionally protected road use tax fund and should not be a part of a major borrowing initiative. There also is considerable federal stimulus money being earmarked for transportation projects, so there is interest in focusing more state resources toward disaster recovery.

“These are things that the governor supports,” he said. “It's a matter of degree”

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said bonding details are in flux but the core objective remains to stimulate jobs and bring back communities ravaged by last year's weather disasters.

“I can't tell you there's any kind of final package,” Gronstal said. “Is there resistance in the Legislature to bonding for roads? The answer is yes. Is that resistance universal, have we made a decision to dump the roads? No, we haven't made that decision.”

Lawmakers are looking at Culver's plan to establish an 11-member oversight board and finance the plan with $56 million annually for 20 years, but Gronstal said he plans to consult with State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald on the best strategy before finalizing debt service decisions.

Hogg said lawmakers favor breaking the plan up into several bills rather than lump everything into one measure as Culver prefers. Legislative Democrats would continue moving forward on a $175 million piece for various state building improvements that already have won Senate approval.

House GOP Leader Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha said legislative Republicans remain skeptical of the bonding approach but have had no input in the ongoing discussions.

“It appears to me the governor's bonding plan has little or no support,” Paulsen said. “It appears to me there are people who are trying to work through it because they are not interested in embarrassing the governor.

"I don't sense the legislative body is anwhere near the level of support required to pass something like that," he added.