BOISE - After the Idaho Transportation Department gave a presentation on a controversial federal funding program to a joint legislative committee, Senate Transportation Chairman John McGee, R-Caldwell, offered praise.

"If there's one thing that's clear, it's you're on track," he said after the House and Senate transportation committees heard from ITD Director Pamela Lowe and her assistants.

The sentiment was not shared by everyone.

"The GARVEE presentation was an effort to characterize their concerns separately, so it would make it appear necessary they get an additional $134 million appropriated this year," said Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, a former chairman of the state's transportation board. "I don't understand why we continue to go into debt when we can create revenue."

Officials for ITD had said they are requesting $134 million to continue the GARVEE program. They said they will not sell any of the bonds from last year for several months. GARVEE funding now totals $998 million. Lowe said it's a long process and the environmental studies for current projects were just completed.

Asked if he was impressed by the presentation, Smith said, "no, but I'm not impressed by GARVEE."

Smith has been critical of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle, or GARVEE, which allows states to pay bond-related expenses with future transportation funding. He said that the state is getting itself further into debt and should instead be expanding the Statewide Tran-sportation Improve-ment Program to "pay as we go."

Smith said he is opposed to the additional money, but said there aren't many alternatives for transportation funding this year.

"It's kind of late in the session. I came to the realization today that nobody's done anything," he said.

Idaho has been using the GARVEE funding since former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne saw his "Connecting Idaho" project pass the Legislature in 2005. Its future was the source of a week-long delay to the Legislature last year, and caused a rift not only between the Senate and the House but within parties. Most projects have been targeted for the Treasure Valley.

Meanwhile, it's still unclear when the state will fund the five-mile extension of Pole Line Road from Grandview Drive to the U.S. Highway 93 and U.S. Highway 30 interchange in Twin Falls - the only Magic Valley piece of GARVEE.

Jared S. Hopkins may be reached at 631-793-5717 or jhopkins@magicvalley.com