Last week HART CEO Philip Hale warned his fellow board members that a proposed transportation bill in the House of Representatives presented a mortal threat to the health of the Hillsborough County transit agency.
In Washington D.C., floor debate began on Wednesday on that bill, with a final vote expected on Friday (discussions on the Senate equivalent are also ongoing this week).
The reason that Hale, as well as Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) officials, are watching the proceedings with dread is a provision in the bill that eliminates the guarantee of a portion of federal gasoline and diesel tax revenues for transit, leaving programs like theirs extremely vulnerable to future budget cuts.
The Associated Press reports that Winter Park Republican Congressman John Mica, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and co-author of a major portion of the bill, said he is "fairly confident" based on his discussions with GOP lawmakers that the bill can pass.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2012.