Lawmakers' Infrastructure Plans Vary Dramatically
The work begins Thursday in the state legislature to hash out final agreements on bond proposals to fund public works fixes. But one key group isn’t talking bonds at all.
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(Sacramento, CA)
Thursday, February 16, 2006
The Assembly Republicans’ plans include bills they say will save money by streamlining processes to get public works projects done. At the top of their list is Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s “pay as you go” plan to fund such projects with a portion of the state budget. What their reform package does NOT include is a proposal to sell bonds.
“Both sides Republican and Democrat have said infrastructure is going to the topic of this year, now the debate should be how are we going to fund it.”
McCarthy won’t say how far they’re willing to negotiate when it comes to bonds. Meanwhile, Democrats say some of the G-O-P proposals aimed at streamlining would actually roll back state environmental protection laws.