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<br />CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />Topic Report: Update on Transportation <br />Reauthorization <br />By: Kurt Ulrich, City Administrator <br />Background: <br />Elwyn Tinklenberg of The Tinklenberg Group will be at the work session to present an update on <br />Transportation Reauthorization. Below is information staff received in an email from The <br />Tinklenberg Group. <br />Congressional Leadership Calls for Moving Transportation Bills in September <br />On August 16, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) called on Congress to pass major <br />transportation reauthorization legislation that could help create hundreds of thousands of jobs. <br />The previous transportation bill known as SAFETEA-LU was originally set to expire August <br />2009, but has been extended several times, most recently until December of this year. <br />While most members in both the House and Senate agree that a new transportation bill is needed, <br />the daunting price tag has many wanting to wait until after the mid-term elections in November <br />before taking on such an expensive endeavor. However, House Democrats, including Clyburn, <br />believe that with unemployment levels near 10 percent, more action prior to the election should <br />be taken fo address the nation's unemployment concerns. <br />House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar has previously moved a new <br />transportation bill out of his committee only to have it stall and fail to receive a full vote in the <br />House. The bill is not without controversy and contains a tax increase on gasoline to offset part <br />of the $500 billion cost, which the Obama administration has opposed. Meanwhile, the Senate <br />has deferred the issue until later in the year by passing a continuing resolution to keep programs <br />funded at current levels. <br />NAIOP continues to advocate for increase transportation and infrastructure investment. <br />However, given the short time available for legislative activity when Congress returns to D.C. <br />from the August recess, Senate Democrats do not believe they will take up a transportation bill <br />prior to the November elections. Conversely, many House Democrats, including Clyburn, <br />believe that a higher priority should be placed on the transportation bill action to increase <br />employment. <br />Action Statement: <br />Based upon discussion. <br />Reviewed by: <br />Deputy City Administrator/Dir.Comm <br />CCWS: 07/27/10 <br />