Press Release- Aug 23, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, AUG. 23, 2007
CONTACT
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370
GOVERNOR'S BLUE RIBBON TRANSPORTATION PANELMEETS IN BRECKENRIDGE ON FRIDAY
Gov. Bill Ritter's blue ribbon transportation panel will meet in Breckenridge on Friday. Presentations will center on the future of the Interstate 70 mountain corridor and include a continuation of discussions about possible funding options for the state's long-term transportation needs.
The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Great Divide Lodge, 550 Village Road, Breckenridge.
Morning sessions will include regional presentations from Summit County officials, the Colorado Department of Transportation, CH2MHill, the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority and the I-70 Coalition.
Afternoon discussions will center on possible funding options to meet Colorado's transportation needs in the years to come. Options will be presented to the panel by its technical advisory committee and will include ideas such as registration fees, gas tax or visitor tax. Previous meetings have examined other options, and additional ideas will be presented at future meetings.
"Friday's meeting will continue an important part of this process and provide new information for our ongoing transportation dialogue," Gov. Ritter said. "As the process unfolds, we will continue to approach this from a prudent, responsible and fiscally conservative standpoint."
Gov. Ritter convened the 30-member Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel earlier this year to explore the state's transportation revenue challenges. The state's primary revenue sources are declining while demand and the costs of construction and maintenance are rising. Final recommendations are due to the Governor by the end of the year.
Following Friday's meeting in Breckenridge, the next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10 in Durango.
Click here for more details about the transportation panel and its technical advisory committee.
Here is the agenda for Friday's meeting:
8:30 a.m. Coffee & Breakfast burritos & fruit with local elected officials and public
9:00 Welcome and Introductions
Co-Chairs Doug Aden, Cary Kennedy and Bob Tointon
9:15 Transportation Panel Overview and Challenges
Russ George, CDOT Executive Director
Carla Perez, Governor Ritter's Office
9:30 Topic: Regional Presentations
- Transportation Needs and Considerations in the Central Mountain Region - Bill Wallace, Summit County Treasurer
- CDOT Region 1 - Jeff Kullman, Director
10:00 Break
10:15 Topic: I-70 West Corridor Presentation and Discussion
- I-70 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) - Brian Pinkerton, CDOT
- Contexts Sensitive Solutions (CSS) - Bill Sherman, CH2MHill
- Rocky Mountain Rail Authority (RMRA) - Harry Dale, Co-Chair RMRA
- I-70 Coalition - Dr. Flo Raitano
11:30 Topic: National Overview of Commuter Rail and Intercity Passenger Rail, Jack Tone, PB America
11:40 Public Comment Period
Noon Lunch Exercise
Measuring the Pulse: Keypad Polling Exercise
Peter Kenney, Civic Results
1 p.m. Topic: Elements and Criteria for a Transportation Vision - John Parr, Civic Results and Carla Perez, Governor's Office
1:30 Advisory Committee Presentation
- Introduction, Cary Kennedy
- Funding Thresholds - Carla Perez, Governor's Office, and Heather Copp, CDOT CFO
- Assumptions ' Tamra Ward, DMCC
- Registration Fees - Carol Hedges, CO Fiscal Policy Inst.
- Gas Tax - Dr. Ray Chamberlain, PB
- Income Tax - Wayne Williams, El Paso County
- Visitor Tax - Tamra Ward, DMCC
- Combo Approach -
- Panel Discussion, Q&A
4:00 Wrap up and close
Next Meeting:
Monday, September 10, 2007
DurangoCommunity Recreation Center
2700 Main Ave., Durango