From the Director's Desk:
December 19, 2023
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Fuel-Related Revenues Slightly Up From Last Year
While monthly revenues from gasoline and motor fuel levies are down from the previous month, the county portion of those collections is showing a slight up-tick from this time a year ago. A strong collection in August helps the overall county collection show a year-over-year increase of about $579,000 to date.
According to the Department of Revenue, overall gasoline and motor fuel revenues decreased 1.38 percent compared to last November and were $1.4 million less than the state budgeted estimate of $106.8 million. Year-to-date statewide fuel revenues are $3.6 million more than estimated. Meanwhile, in looking at all state revenues, overall November state revenues were $1.426 billion, which is 4.38 percent less than November 2022 and $88.4 million less than the budgeted estimate, said Finance & Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson.
As you will recall, a significant asset in the Transportation Modernization Act passed earlier this year includes indexed growth to a new revenue source for local governments. Electric vehicles of all types will be subject to a $100/year registration fee beginning January 1, 2024. Those revenues will be slow coming in, as they will be assessed at the time of annual tag renewals, rather than at the time the EV is purchased. That fee grows statutorily over the first five years and then by the Consumer Price Index. TCHOA will be watching that revenue stream once it starts coming in with the hope of reporting those figures similar to how it does gas/motor fuel revenues.
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State Unveils 10-Year Road Plan
Nashville, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) revealed its first-ever proposed 10-year fiscally-constrained project plan today, with the goal of better communicating with citizens and communities of the long-term investment strategy for infrastructure in Tennessee.
The $15 billion fiscally constrained plan includes both the annual TDOT work program budget of approximately $1.2 billion for 10 years plus the $3 billion State General Fund appropriation provided in the Transportation Modernization Act (TMA), proposed by Governor Lee, and passed by the General Assembly earlier this year.
There are 93 site-specific capacity-type projects in the plan, 46 of which are funded fully or in part by the $3 billion. For the first time, TDOT has identified the funding necessary to complete all projects in the plan, ensuring “what gets started, gets finished.”
To see a more detailed list of projects, visit this link.
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Highway Officials Certification Board Meeting - December 20
The Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board will meet this Wednesday, Dec. 20, to hear a challenge of its action taken last month on candidate Rickey Clarence Wilkey of Rhea County. The board voted 3-2 to approve his certification on November 27.
The meeting notice can be found here. This appears to be the board’s only meeting ahead of the December 21 deadline for the body to resolve challenges.
A follow-up from TCHOA on that meeting will be emailed afterward.
At its last meeting, the board reviewed major milestones on the election calendar affecting counties where at least one party has called a primary.
- January 1, 2024: Deadline to receive write-in applications
- January 15, 2024: Qualifying deadline for write-in applications (12 noon)
- March 5: County primary election day
Remember that Feb. 5, 2024, is the date the board can begin reviewing applications from counties without primaries. Attached are blank copies of the certification application and key dates for the 2024 election cycle. If you have not already done so, consider submitting your application soon via registered mail or some other method that provides you will a signed receipt that it arrived at the State Election Coordinator’s office. Send completed applications to:
Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board
Division of Elections
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
William R. Snodgrass Tower, 7th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
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Upcoming Events
STATEWIDE MEETINGS
- February 19-20, 2024: County Government Day, Nashville Davidson County
- May 21-23, 2024: Legislative Conference, Sevier County
- October 23-25, 2024: TCSA Annual Fall Conference & Trade Show, Rutherford County
- May 20-22, 2025: Legislative Conference, Sevier County
- October 8-10, 2025: TCSA Annual Fall Conference & Trade Show, Knox County Convention Center
MISCELLANEOUS MEETINGS
- April 15-18, 2024: National Association of County Engineers (NACE) Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA
- July 12 – 15, 2024: National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference, Hillsborough County (Tampa, FL)
- July 11 – 14, 2025: National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference, City & County of Philadelphia, PA
Events subject to change
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Thank you for your continued service and support,
Brett
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