Gene M. Valentino Articles

Okaloosa favors transportation partners
The proposal would allow counties to pool funds to pay for regional improvements

By DUSTY RICKETTS
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 | dustyr@nwfdailynews.com
CRESTVIEW — One year after first discussing the idea, Okaloosa County became the second government agency to endorse a proposed partnership among counties to fund road improvements.

County commissioners this week voted to support the concept of partnering with Escambia County to create the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Finance Authority and begin negotiations to do so.

“This doesn’t commit us to any funding, it just says the problems we are facing are regional and the state Legislature can get behind (the initiative),” said Commissioner John Jannazo. “This is a way to move projects forward.”

Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino came up with the idea in 2007 as a way for counties to partner on regional transportation improvements rather than each county trying to do the work alone. Valentino has approached Santa Rosa and Walton counties, but Okaloosa is the first to give its support.

Each year, Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties receive capacity funding from the state for road improvements. Under Valentino’s proposal, the four counties would pull a percentage of those state dollars to pay the debt service on a bond used to fund larger, more regional transportation improvements.

Jannazo said the main reason the initiative has not moved forward faster has been a “chicken or the egg” concern from the state and the other counties.

The main concern for some on the Okaloosa County Commission, as well as Walton and Santa Rosa commissioners, is the state would not commit to giving a set amount to cover the debt service on the bond until it knew counties other than Escambia were onboard.
Jannazo hopes Okaloosa County’s action this week will spur the other counties and the state to support the program.

“It’s a great idea. Nobody has said it’s not going to work,” Jannazo said. “Folks are cautious because it’s a new concept to fund the infrastructure needs. I’m confident we have the right team of legislators and commissioners, supported by some strong staffs, to put together an interlocal agreement that will benefit the entire region. There’s risk involved, but the risk is manageable.”