ROADS/BRIDGES: Infrastructure funding bill passed in Delaware

Lawmakers negotiated an infrastructure funding deal, which increases revenue in the Transportation Trust Fund by $24 million for the state of Delaware.

Under the new deal, new state projects costing less than $500,000 and renovation work totaling less than $45,000 will not have to adhere to prevailing wage laws.

Republicans supported a $23.9 million package raising certain DMV fees, which have gone unchanged since 1990.

The plan will also implement $24 million in borrowing over the next six years – eventually raising half of what a similar plan proposed by Gov. Jack Markell (D) would have through a ten-cent gas tax increase.

Another provision of the deal requires that all of that money will be devoted entirely to capital projects through a constitutional amendment unless approved by 75% of state lawmakers.

That amendment will need 2/3-majority approval from both chambers over two consecutive General Assemblies for passage. A temporary measure lasting until 2016 was passed unanimously.

Five million dollars of DelDOT operating costs will also be moved out of the Transportation Trust Fund.

A prior attempt by Democrats to address prevailing wage never got off the ground when it was introduced in May after months of negotiations.