As Haslam promotes TN road needs, House Speaker Harwell not interested in 2016 tax discussion

House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, speaks at a joint conference of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015.
House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, speaks at a joint conference of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015.
photo House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, speaks at a joint conference of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015.

NASHVILLE -- As Gov. Bill Haslam worked today to build public support for new transportation funds, fellow Republican Beth Harwell, the House speaker, is speeding in the opposite direction.

After Haslam's conclusion of the Nashville leg of his "roads tour," Harwell told reporters, "I don't think the governor's even going to propose it this year because I think really it's an educational process and it will take some time."

Meanwhile, Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey told reporters that he's on board with Haslam, saying Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, wasn't speaking for him earlier this week when Norris said "leadership" isn't for any new taxes or fees.

"I haven't spoken to him about this because I still think it's something we need to address and not just kick the can down the road," Ramsey said of Norris. "If this year's the year, it is the year. I've not seen a concrete plan out of [Transportation Department] yet on exactly what it would take.

"But again, there's no doubt about this," Ramsey added. "There are monies falling to build infrastructure. If there's a basic function of government, it is to build infrastructure. So no, I hope we can find a way to address it this year [2016 session]. I do."

Asked about the revenue issue, Haslam told reporters "people always ask is there something we can do besides what we've always done in the past. I don't know that there is. If there was some magic solution, some other state would have thought of it. There are only three other states that have gone longer than we have without changing how we pay for roads."

photo Gov. Bill Haslam

The governor hasn't discussed yet how much he plans to ask for fuel taxes and fees to be raised for highways, bridges and other transportation needs. And he seemed determined to remain on course in terms of establishing the need before stating the revenues necessary.

But some legislative Republicans, like Norris, are already taking firm stances against raising taxes. And now Harwell, who hasn't ruled out a bid to succeed Haslam in 2018, is making it clear she's not board with her ally Haslam.

Asked about some fellow Republicans coming out against new taxes and fees, the governor said, "there's a not a propsal out there, OK? We're talking about needs right now, and I think that's a really important discussion for the state to have. Because everybody sees their local need, but it's hard for them to put it all together and realize that oh, it's $6 billion worth of things that people think are getting ready to happen, but we don't have the funding for."

Harwell told reporters that the state needs to establish public trust by restoring $280 million in transportation funds taken by two previous governors and the Legislature prior to Haslam becoming governor.

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