Kansas Legislators Unveil Plan

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The chairman and vice chairman of the House Transportation Committee have drafted their own transportation plan, one that would not require increasing taxes or issuing bonds.

The disadvantage of the plan offered by Reps. Gary Hayzlett, R-Lakin, and John Ballou, R-Gardner, is that it assumes the Legislature won't enact any tax cuts this year.

Hayzlett and Ballou believe not cutting taxes would leave $1.8 billion in revenues available to spend on transportation improvements over eight years.

They propose increasing the amount of sales tax revenues transferred from the General Fund to the State Highway Fund by $300 million, making the eight-year total for their plan $2.1 billion.

Gov. Bill Graves has proposed raising $2.4 billion in new revenues, most of it by issuing bonds, for an eight-year transportation program with highway improvements and aid for rural

irports, public bus systems and short line railroads.

The House committee and the Senate Transportation and Tourism Committee, holding their third day of joint hearings Thursday on transportation issues, heard from Lawrence and Ottawa officials who want a large plan.

Some supporters of a new transportation program want the state to raise more than $4 billion in new revenues which would require issuing new bonds and increasing taxes.