HB 1555-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2008 SESSION
06/01
HOUSE BILL 1555-FN
AN ACT relative to an E-Z Pass discount for residents of Merrimack.
SPONSORS: Rep. Stepanek, Hills 6; Rep. Mooney, Hills 19; Rep. Itse, Rock 9; Rep. Weyler, Rock 8; Rep. Rodeschin, Sull 2; Sen. Roberge, Dist 9; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Clegg, Dist 14
COMMITTEE: Public Works and Highways
This bill:
I. Establishes a 100 percent discount on certain highway exits for residents of Merrimack.
II. Reduces the discount for passenger vehicles using the regional electronic toll collection system to 28 percent.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
08-2091
06/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight
AN ACT relative to an E-Z Pass discount for residents of Merrimack.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 E-Z Pass Discount for Residents of Merrimack. Amend RSA 237:11, V to read as follows:
V.(a) Except as provided in subparagraph (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the discount on the established tolls on any of the turnpikes in the system for vehicles using the regional electronic toll collection system shall be [30] 28 percent for passenger vehicles, including motorcycles, and 10 percent for commercial vehicles.
(b) The discount for all E-Z Pass account holders with a Merrimack zip code shall be 100 percent for exits 10, 11, and 12 on the Everett Turnpike.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
08-2091
12/10/07
HB 1555-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to an E-Z Pass discount for residents of Merrimack.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Transportation states this bill will decrease state turnpike fund revenue by $33,191 in FY 2009 and $36,420 in FY 2010, and increase state turnpike fund revenue by $327,486 in FY 2011 and $518,431 in FY 2012. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures or county and local revenues.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Transportation (DOT) states this bill establishes a 100% discount on certain highway exits for residents of Merrimack and reduces the discount for passenger vehicles using the regional electronic toll collection system (E-Z Pass) from 30% to 28% system-wide.
The Department used the following assumptions to determine the net increases and decreases to state turnpike fund revenue shown in the table below.
Assumptions for discounts for residents of Merrimack:
• The revenue impact for the Merrimack resident discount on Exits 10,11, and 12 are based on a February 2007 analysis using figures from the month of December 2006 and prorating them over a 12 month period, then rolling them forward using the actual six-month growth rate of January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2007 (2.23%).
• Future growth rates for this discount were forecasted by Vollmer Associates in February 2007 for these exits at: FY 2008-1.63%, FY 2009-1.70%, FY 2010-1.71%, FY 2011-negative 36.23%, FY 2012-negative 28.72%. Note the negative growth rates are forecasted when the airport access road opens affecting the Bedford main and Merrimack toll exits.
Assumptions for reducing the E-Z Pass discount from 30% to 28%:
• The percentage of E-Z Pass transactions made by New Hampshire account holders (who are granted the discount) and non-New Hampshire account holders is 75% and 25% respectively.
• The percentage of E-Z Pass revenue from passenger accounts is 85%.
• Future growth rates for this change used the system-wide rate forecasted by Vollmer Associates in February 2007 at: FY 2008-1.60%, FY 2009-1.59%, FY 2010-1.45%, FY 2011-negative 2.45%, FY 2012-negative 0.58%. Note the negative growth rates are also forecasted system-wide when the airport access road opens affecting the Bedford main and Merrimack toll exits.
Toll Revenue Impacts: |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
Merrimack Resident Discount |
$(1,056,574) |
$(1,074,642) |
$ (685,299) |
$ (488,481) |
E-Z Pass Discount Change |
$ 1,023,383 |
$ 1,038,222 |
$ 1,012,785 |
$ 1,006,912 |
Net Increase (Decrease) |
$ (33,191) |
$ (36,420) |
$ 327,486 |
$ 518,431 |