2003 Yellow Book
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Department of Transportation
(Summary)
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Adjusted
Appropriation
2002-03
Executive
Request
2003-04
Change Percent
Change

AGENCY SUMMARY

Engineering Services Fund 620,221,000 0 (620,221,000) -100.0%
General Fund 164,736,700 161,616,000 (3,120,700) -1.9%
Special Revenue-Federal 43,308,000 43,540,000 232,000 0.5%
Special Revenue-Other 1,587,383,000 1,580,798,000 (6,585,000) -0.4%
Federal Capital Projects Fund 1,491,000,000 1,697,000,000 206,000,000 13.8%
Dedicated Mass Transportation Trust Fund 47,815,000 49,115,000 1,300,000 2.7%
Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund 1,649,073,000 1,565,809,000 (83,264,000) -5.0%
NY Metro Transportation Account 10,229,000 10,312,000 83,000 0.8%
Fiduciary 52,000,000 50,000,000 (2,000,000) -3.8%
Internal Service Fund 4,504,000 4,504,000 0 0.0%

Total for AGENCY SUMMARY: 5,670,269,700 5,162,694,000 (507,575,700) -9.0%

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* 1999-00 through 2001-02 reflect enacted appropriations.
* 2002-03 and 2003-04 reflect Executive recommended appropriations.

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ALL FUNDS PERSONNEL
BUDGETED FILL LEVELS
Fund Current
2002-03
Requested
2003-04
Change

All Other Funds: 10,113 9,590 (523)

TOTAL: 10,113 9,590 (523)


Budget Highlights

The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains and improves the State's more than 40,000 highway lane miles and 7,500 bridges. In addition, the Department partially funds locally-operated transit systems, local government highway and bridge construction and rail and airport programs.

This agency is included in the Transportation, Economic Development and Environmental Conservation appropriation bill.

The Executive recommends a total All Funds appropriation of $5,162,694,000 for the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2003-04. This amount represents a decrease of $507,575,700, or 9 percent from SFY 2002-03. The Executive proposes to reduce the current workforce level of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions from 10,113 to 9,590 by the end of SFY 2003-04 and to eliminate the Engineering Services Fund. The Executive anticipates saving $53,000,000 as a result of these actions and expects to achieve workforce reductions through attrition and early retirement incentives.

State Operations

In SFY 2003-04, the Governor recommends State Operations appropriations totaling $42,470,000, a decrease of $5,053,000, or 10.6 percent from SFY 2002-03. Recommended federal highway aid appropriations in State Operations total $9,609,000. Federal highway aid is provided through the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21). TEA-21 is Federal legislation that is set to expire September 30, 2003 unless Congress reauthorizes it. State Operations appropriations for transit programs total $5,489,000 for SFY 2003-04. This represents a $60,000 decrease, or 1.1 percent from the $5,549,000 funding level in SFY 2002-03. The funds support DOT administrative activities related to transit programs.

The Executive proposes to continue the shift the cost of snow and ice control and arterial maintenance programs from the General Fund to the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund (DHBTF). The proposed total appropriation for those programs is $224,342,000, a $21,885,000 decrease from SFY 2002-03, or 10.81 percent.

Aid To Localities

The Executive proposes a total SFY 2003-04 appropriation of $1,747,988,000, a $2,120,000 reduction, or less than 1 percent, from SFY 2002-03. Transit aid to local transit systems throughout the State is the largest component of DOT's Aid to Localities budget.

The Governor recommends an Aid to Localities appropriation of $1,734,040,000 for transit aid for SFY 2003-04. This amount is equivalent to the appropriated transit aid provided in SFY 2002-03. In SFY 2002-03, there was an additional $112,000,000 provided to transit systems from fund balance releases of prior year reappropriations. However, since the $112,000,000 came from reappropriations, it is not counted in the year-to-year comparison of transit aid.

The Executive proposes that each local transit systems receive the same level of funding in SFY 2003-04 as it received in SFY 2002-03. Proposed transit aid for SFY 2003-04 for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is $1,459,087,000. The MTA has reported that fare and toll increases would be necessary to fill budget gaps totaling $2,800,000 in 2003 and 2004. For non-MTA downstate transit systems, the Executive proposes $162,958,000 in transit aid in SFY 2003-04. Upstate transit systems would receive $111,312,000 for SFY 2003-04.

The Executive does not provide an allocation for the Intercity Rail Passenger Service program that provides State funding for Amtrak. In SFY 2002-03, the appropriation for the program was $820,000.

Capital Projects

The Capital Program of DOT is a five-year plan to improve and rehabilitate critical components of the State's transportation infrastructure by providing funds for State and local roads and bridges, transit systems, the State's freight and passenger rail network, airports, ports and canals. The DHBTF is the largest component of the Capital Program. The DHBTF is comprised of revenues from petroleum business taxes, motor fuel taxes, motor vehicle registration fees, and other transportation related revenue.

The Executive projects that capital plan appropriations for the SFY 2003-04 through SFY 2007-08 five-year period will total $16,651,000,000. This is an 11.8 percent decrease from the SFY 2002-03 through SFY 2006-07 projection. The current highway and bridge construction letting level is $1,750,000,000 for SFY 2002-03. The Executive recommends cutting the letting level $100 million or 6 percent for SFY 2003--04.

The Executive proposes to eliminate the Engineering Services Fund (ESF), decreasing the capital projects appropriation by the $620,221,000. The ESF provides a centralized fund for payment of engineering expenses, which are, in turn, reimbursed using Federal Aided Highway program funds and/or DHBTF monies. The Executive proposes to fund engineering costs directly from the DHBTF; thereby eliminating the need for reimbursement, except for eligible Federal projects, and the need for the ESF. The Executive proposes to add the new Preparations of Plans of Purpose Account to the DHBTF for engineering services costs previously paid through the ESF. The appropriation for this Account would be $578,259,000, a $41,962,000 decrease from ESF funding in SFY 2002-03. The Executive advises this savings would be the result of a 523 FTEs position reduction. The Department currently has 4,781 FTE engineering-related positions. The Executive proposes to reduce the number of positions to 4,258 in the SFY 2003-04. However, the Executive intends to offer early retirement incentive for all eligible DOT employees. Therefore, the proposed reduction of 523 FTE positions could occur throughout the Agency and may not be limited to engineering-related positions.

Recommended funding for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs) is equivalent to SFY 2002-03 at $241,800,000. Similar to SFY 2002-03, the Executive Budget does not include any appropriations for CHIPs Operating and Maintenance (O&M) aid. The CHIPs program provided capital funding for cities, towns and villages. Counties and New York City did not receive any CHIPs funding. The Municipal Streets and Highways Program ("Marchiselli") would receive proposed funding of $39,700,000, also equivalent to the SFY 2002-03 appropriation. These local highway and bridge programs are funded through the DHBTF.

The Executive proposes $9,000,000 for the Industrial Access Program for SFY 2003-04. The proposed appropriation does not incorporate language affirming current program provisions. The proposed amount is a 40 percent decrease from the SFY 2002-03 levels.

Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund (DHBTF)

The Executive proposes the following measures with regards to savings, additional revenues and new expenses within the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund (DHBTF) for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2003-04:

The Executive proposes to deposit the following revenues into the DHBTF to enhance the coverage ratios for the Fund:

  • $31,314,000 in DMV fees currently deposited to the General Fund;
  • $14,788,000 for the continuation of DMV fees originally shifted from the General Fund in SFY 2002-03;
  • $7,082,000 for the increased collection in DMV fees originally shifted from the General Fund in SFY 2002-03; and
  • $1,188,000 in DMV fees currently deposited to the General Fund.

$116,401,000 million in new expenses are proposed by the Executive to be shifted to the DHBTF to achieve General Fund relief:

  • $62,029,000 in DMV expenses currently supported by the General Fund;
  • $31,314,000 in DMV expenses currently supported by the General Fund;
  • $14,788,000 for the continuation of DMV expenses originally shifted from the General Fund in SFY 2002-03;
  • $7,082,000 for the increase in DMV expenses originally shifted from the General Fund in SFY 2002-03; and
  • $1,188,000 in DMV fringe benefit expenses currently paid by the General Fund.

The Executive proposes to deposit the following $50 million in revenues currently scheduled to be deposited to the General Fund into the DHBTF to enhance the coverage ratios for the fund:

  • $50 million in new revenue from the Insurance Abstract Fee.

$50 million in new expenses are proposed by the Executive to be shifted to the DHBTF to achieve General Fund relief:

  • $31,314,000 in DMV expenses currently paid by the General Fund;
  • $1,188,000 in DMV fringe benefit expenses currently paid by the General Fund; and
  • $17,471,000 in DOT fringe benefit expenses currently paid by the General Fund.

The Executive proposes the following measures with regard to savings, additional revenues and new expenses within the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2004-05:

The Executive proposes to deposit $189,775,000 in revenues currently scheduled to be deposited to the General Fund into the DHBTF to enhance the coverage ratios for the Fund as follows:

  • $59,900,000 in (DMV) non-registration fees currently deposited to the General Fund;
  • $50,000,000 in (DMV) insurance abstract fees currently deposited to the General Fund ;
  • $14,675,000 in (DMV) title application fees currently deposited to the General Fund;
  • $21,200,000 from (DMV) Transportation Safety Special Revenue Fund;
  • $21,000,000 from the Transportation Transmission Tax currently deposited to the General Fund and the Metropolitan Mass Transportation Operating Assistance (MMTOA) Fund;
  • $12,000,000 in (DMV) certificate of sale fees currently deposited to the General Fund ; and
  • $11,000,000 in (DMV) data search fees currently deposited to the General Fund.

$189,775,000 million in new expenses are proposed by the Executive to be shifted to the DHBTF to achieve General Fund relief:

  • $135,290,000 in snow and ice removal expenses scheduled to be paid from the General Fund;
  • $21,200,000 in DMV transportation safety expenses;
  • $14,373,000 in DOT fringe benefit expenses scheduled to be paid from the General Fund;
  • $12,310,000 in DMV expenses scheduled to be paid from the General Fund; and
  • $6,602,000 in DMV fringe benefit expenses scheduled to be paid from the General Fund.

Article VII

The Executive proposes to:

  • amend rail projects language to authorize the use of rail freight project funds for rail passenger programs;

  • increase the number of divisible load permits authorized to be issued by the DOT from 17,000 to 25,000 by the year 2007, to be phased in beginning in 2003;

  • set a fee of $900 for permits issued to vehicles with seven or more axles which would generate $1,500,000 in additional revenue for the DHBTF and $3,000,000 for the General Fund;

  • require new safety equipment and axle configurations, and further restrict crossings on weight-restricted bridges;

  • establish a new consolidated statewide fine schedule for vehicle weight violations, while retaining the current New York City fine schedule;

  • authorize CHIPs and Marchiselli capital funding;

  • authorize the deposit of motor vehicle fees in the DHBTF;

  • expand the authorized uses of the DHBTF to include the costs of the Department of Motor Vehicles;

  • transfer a portion of transportation and transmission taxes to the DHBTF; and

  • extend the heavy-duty vehicle emission inspection program.


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