Road Use Tax Fund Efficiency Report, December 2016

Senate File 2355, 85th General Assembly, states the Iowa Department of Transportation shall submit annual reports regarding the implementation of efficiency measures identified in the "Road Use Tax Fund Efficiency Report," January 2012. This report shall provide details of activities undertaken in the previous quarter relating to one-time and long-term program efficiencies and partnership efficiencies. Issues covered include savings realized from the implementation of particular efficiency measures; updates concerning measures that have not been implemented; efforts involving cities, counties, other jurisdictions, or stakeholder interest groups; any new efficiency measures identified or undertaken; and identification of any legislative action that may be required to achieve efficiencies.

2016 Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) Study

A key component of Iowa’s transportation system is the public roadway system owned and maintained by the state, cities and counties. In order to regularly evaluate the conditions of Iowa’s public roadway infrastructure and assess the ability of existing revenues to meet the needs of the system, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s 2006 Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) report to the legislature included a recommendation that a study be conducted every five years. That recommendation was included in legislation adopted in 2007 and signed into law. The law specifically requires the following (2016 Iowa Code Section 307.31):  “The department shall periodically review the current revenue levels of the road use tax fund and the sufficiency of those revenues for the projected construction and maintenance needs of city, county, and state governments in the future. The department shall submit a written report to the general assembly regarding its findings by December 31 every five years, beginning in 2011. The report may include recommendations concerning funding levels needed to support the future mobility and accessibility for users of Iowa's public road system.”  “The department shall evaluate alternative funding sources for road maintenance and construction and report to the general assembly at least every five years on the advantages and disadvantages and the viability of alternative funding mechanisms.” To comply with this requirement, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) prepared a 2011 RUTF Study (www.iowadot.gov/pdf_files/RUTFStudy2011.pdf). This study relied heavily on the work of the Governor’s Transportation 2020 Citizen Advisory Commission (CAC), established by Governor Terry E. Branstad to assist the Iowa DOT as it assessed the condition of Iowa’s roadway system and evaluated current and future funding available to best address system needs. The 2011 RUTF Study ultimately led to the passage of Senate File 257 in the 2015 legislative session that was signed into law on February 25, 2015. The major component of this bill was the increase of the state fuel tax rate on March 1, 2015, in order to meet the critical need funding shortfall identified in the study. With the recent increase in the state fuel tax rate, jurisdictions across Iowa are now putting those additional funds into road and bridge construction projects. With one full construction season complete following the increase in funding, it is difficult to accurately assess the long-term impact on construction needs. Therefore, this 2016 RUTF Study focuses on the actions taken since the 2011 RUTF Study and on alternative funding mechanisms.

FY 2016 Equipment and Vehicle Revolving Fund report

The Equipment and Vehicle Revolving Fund report covers all equipment and vehicle purchases through the highway materials and equipment revolving fund during FY 2016.

South Carolina Housing Trust Fund Emergency Repair Manual

The emergency repair activity under the South Carolina Housing Trust Fund program is designed to assist very low‐income homeowners in making needed and necessary repairs to their owner‐occupied homes to eliminate life, health and safety issues to the occupant. This document explains emergency repair activity guidelines, eligibility requirements for properties, rehabilitation construction guidelines and payments.

FY 2015-16 Housing Trust Fund Annual Report

The South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority publishes an annual report on the South Carolina Housing Trust Fund, a state-funded program designed to provide financial assistance in the development, rehabilitation and acquisition of affordable workforce housing for low-income households throughout the state.

South Carolina general fund revenue, August Fiscal Year 2016-17

The South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office reported on the general fund revenue for Fiscal Year 2016-17.

South Carolina general fund revenue, September Fiscal Year 2016-17

The South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office reported on the general fund revenue for Fiscal Year 2014-15.

General fund revenue forecast fiscal years 2014-15 to 2017-18

This sheet shows the general fund revenue forecast. It is broken down by revenue category.

South Carolina general fund revenue monitor October fiscal year 2016-17

This document is a summary of revenues from various sources in the state as well as giving expected revenues, based on income, corporation and other taxes received,

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FUND (TIER III) Revenues and Expenditures

This graph shows the homestead exemption revenues and expenditures from FY 07-08 to FY 17-18.

Trust Fund for Property Tax Relief

This graph shows the trust fund for property tax relief from FY 2005 to FY 2016.

Endangerment and Likeability of Wildlife Species: How Important are they for Payments Proposed for Conservation?

This paper examines empirically the relative influence of the degree of endangerment of wildlife species and their stated likeability on individuals' allocation of funds for their conservation. To do this, it utilises data obtained from the IUCN Red List, and likeability and fund allocation data obtained from two serial surveys of a sample of the Australian public who were requested to assess 24 Australian wildlife species from three animal classes: mammals, birds and reptiles. Between the first and second survey, respondents were provided with extra information about the focal species. This information resulted in the dominance of endangerment as the major influence on the allocation of funding of respondents for the conservation of the focal wildlife species. Our results throw doubts on the proposition in the literature that the likeability of species is the dominant influence on willingness to pay for conservation of wildlife species. Furthermore, because the public's allocation of fund for conserving wildlife species seems to be more sensitive to information about the conservation status of species than to factors influencing their likeability, greater attention to providing accurate information about the former than the latter seems justified. Keywords: Conservation of wildlife species; Contingent valuation; Endangerment of species; Likeability of species; Willingness to pay