Leading Idaho: Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) Program

Overview
Speaker(s)

In an effort to address Idaho’s rapid growth and aging infrastructure, the Idaho Legislature passed a historic transportation revenue package that was signed into law in May 2021. The percentage of sales tax going towards the “Building Idaho’s Future” Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) program increased from 1% to 4.5% and dedicated $80 million per year to ITD to address capacity and safety needs across the state. The legislation and having a guaranteed, consistent funding source allows ITD to use the funds for debt service on bond issuances. The combination of direct pay and bonding is estimated to net as much as $1.6 billion (based on various assumptions about interest rates and the term of the bonds used), making it the single largest investment in transportation infrastructure in the history of the state. Dave will talk about this new program and provide an update on how ITD is implementing this new program.

Dave Tolman

ITD

Mr. Tolman joined the Idaho Transportation Department in October 2001 as Controller where he is responsible for the financial reporting, revenues, expenditures, payroll and cost accounting. Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Tolman worked for the Idaho Division of Financial Management and the Idaho State Controller’s Office. He has been the Department’s finance lead for the GARVEE bond program that has provided $1.15B in infrastructure financing. He currently serves on State Controller’s Office Fiscal Policy Advisory Committee (FPAC), Access Idaho Steering Committee for the State of Idaho, and AASHTO’s standing Committee on Funding and Finance. He is a member of the Association of Government Accountants. Mr. Tolman holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration from Boise State University.

Amy Schroeder

Transportation Program Manager

Idaho Transportation Dept

Amy has dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil and Mining Engineering from University of Idaho. She worked in heavy civil construction before starting with ITD in 2004. Her ITD career has been primarily focused on environmental evaluations and project delivery. She was instrumental in delivering the GARVEE Program and now leads the TECM (“tec-um”) Program.

She has spearheaded several special assignments for the department such as developing the innovative contracting methods (design-build and CMGC) and conducting a thorough update to the department’s Enterprise Risk Management Plan.

In her spare time, you can find Amy and her husband either lightweight backpacking in the mountains, tending to their lovely garden or working on a new quilting project.