LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 21, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable David Sibley, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Business & Commerce
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1296  by Lucio (Relating to the issuance of general
               obligation securities to provide financial assistance to
               counties for roadway projects for colonias.), As
               Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB1296, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(7,480,000) through       *
*  the biennium ending August 31, 2003.                                  *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2002                                   $0  *
          *       2003                          (7,480,000)  *
          *       2004                         (12,753,200)  *
          *       2005                         (15,394,500)  *
          *       2006                         (15,400,400)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
***************************************************************************
*Fiscal      Probable        Probable        Probable       Change in     *
* Year    Savings/(Cost)     Revenue      Savings/(Cost) Number of State  *
*          from General    Gain/(Loss)      from Bond     Employees from  *
*          Revenue Fund     from Bond        Proceeds        FY 2001      *
*              0001          Proceeds          0854                       *
*                              0854                                       *
*  2002                $0              $0              $0             0.0 *
*  2003       (7,480,000)      42,500,000    (42,500,000)             0.0 *
*  2004      (12,753,200)      85,000,000    (85,000,000)             0.0 *
*  2005      (15,394,500)      47,500,000    (47,500,000)             0.0 *
*  2006      (15,400,400)               0               0             0.0 *
***************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
Assuming the voters of Texas adopt the related constitutional amendment
in November 2001, this bill would authorize the Texas Public Finance
Authority to issue $175.0 million in general obligation bonds for county
roads to improve access to colonias. Such funds could be used for
construction, right-of-way purchases, and utility adjustments.

  
  
Methodology
  
The only additional cost to the General Revenue Fund anticipated to
result from the adoption of this legislation are annual debt service
payments to retire the general obligation bonds. For the 2002-03
biennium, these debt service requirements would total $7.4 million.
Beginning in fiscal year 2004, annual debt service requirements increase
to $15.4 million.  Generally, debt service requirements are paid for out
of the General Revenue Fund.  However, to the extent interest earnings on
bond proceeds are not needed for project costs, interest earnings are
used to offset General Revenue allocated for debt service payments.

Annual debt service requirements were calculated assuming a 6 percent
interest rate and level debt service payments over twenty (20) years.
It is assumed that the bonds would include two issues:  an $80.0 million
issue in February 2002; and a second issue made up of the remaining
$90.0 million in August 2003. The bond proceeds would fund projects that
provide residents of the colonias access to existing public roads for
travel to and from jobs and school.  The estimated average cost of the
road improvements authorized by this legislation is $85,000 per mile.
Assuming 1,000 miles are constructed each fiscal year, all bond proceeds
would be expended by fiscal year 2004.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
Assuming the constitutional amendment is adopted by the voters in
November 2001, the proposed bill would result in bond funds being
available to counties to construct, improve or develop roads in, around
or near colonias.  The bond proceeds would be distributed to
approximately 22 counties within the El Paso, Laredo and Pharr highway
districts.  It is anticipated that participating counties would provide
in-kind matching contributions of 10 to 15 percent.  These matching
contributions would likely take the form of labor provided by county road
crews.
  
  
Source Agencies:   347   Texas Public Finance Authority, 301   Office of
                   the Governor
LBB Staff:         JK, JO, MF, ZS