Fiscal court OK’s resolution asking legislature to stabilize gas tax revenues

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Magistrate Bernard Ice, right, listens as Magistrate Jeff Lear makes a point during Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, 12:10 p.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court voted to join other Kentucky counties and the Kentucky Association of Counties in an effort to lobby the Kentucky General Assembly to stabilize the state road fund.

A 4.3 cent drop in the state gas tax on Jan. 1, 2015, means $129 million less going to the state road fund, according to a letter to the court from Mike Hancock, the Secretary of the state Transportation Cabinet. The Cabinet relies on the the gas tax revenue for its road construction and repair efforts, and nearly half of the road tax goes to cities and counties for street, road and bridge repairs.

The state excise tax on motor fuels was enacted in 1920. In the 1980s the state legislature made the tax a variable of the average wholesale price.

Senate Bill 29, filed by Sen. Ernie Harris and Sen. Joe Bowen, addresses this issue by raising the minimum average wholesale cost of fuel for road tax calculations. The minimum now is $1.786 per gallon; the legislation would raise this to $2.354 per gallon.

Magistrate Jerry Hahn listens to the road and landfill reports.

PLAYGROUND UPGRADES. Nelson Fiscal Court approved allocating $28,800 to purchase new playground equipment for the Balltown and Culvertown parks.

The existing playground equipment is more than 20 years old, Watts told the court. The purchase comes after constituents made requests for updated equipment, and Watts worked the purchase into the budget.

The new equipment will be added to the playground areas at each park.

In other action, the court:

— approved a resolution that allows the county attorney’s office to retain excess fees charged in collecting cold checks;

— approved moving Paul Draper to a supervisory position to fill an opening created by the retirement of David Mattingly. Draper will supervise of the county road department crews;

— heard a report that the next Feeding America distribution is Wednesday, Jan. 28;

— heard that garbage collection this week in the county is on its usual schedule;

— heard an update on the application process for expanding the county landfill. The process is a lengthy one, Brad Spalding, landfill manager, advised the magistrates.

NEXT UP. Nelson Fiscal Court meets next at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015, in the Fiscal Court meeting room on the second floor of the Old Courthouse.

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