A House committee on Tuesday decided to approve a bill that would lift a $500,000 cap on light-rail projects, which could help free up state funding for a proposed light-rail project in Durham and Orange counties if the bill becomes law.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Torbett, R-Gaston, would reverse a provision passed in 2015 that placed in last year’s budget bill the half-million dollar limit on funds from the Strategic Transportation Investments Act.
Torbett said the proposed change would move light-rail funding back “inside the law,” and that it wouldn’t be treated differently from other modes of transportation competing for state highway dollars.
Not all members of the House Transportation Committee agreed with the move.
“I don’t think I’m in favor of this,” Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow said. “I think we’re opening the door to the possibility of taking transportation moneys that could be needed someplace else in the state for a light-rail project.”
Rep. Rayne Brown, R-Davidson, agreed with Cleveland, calling rail transportation “19th century technology.”
“This is going to be a mode of transportation that is going to have to be subsidized by … people who will never use this,” Brown said.
But Rep. Bill Brawley, R-Mecklenburg, said the provision limiting the amount to $500,000 was bad legislation passed in the waning days of the 2015 session.
“Let’s be candid guys,” Brawley said. “In September we would swallow a lot of bitter pills to get out of town.”
The bill, which passed on a voice vote, now goes to the House Appropriations Committee.
Barry Smith (@Barry_Smith) is an associate editor at Carolina Journal.