ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - An upstate lawmaker says the state has been
diverting as much as 750 million dollars annually from a "dedicated" tax fund intended for bridge and highway maintenance and repair.

State Senator Thomas Libous says that money has instead been used to cover unrelated budget costs. The Broome County Republican
announced a bill today with bipartisan support to end the practice.

Libous says the 3 billion dollar fund created in 1991 now pays for dozens of budget items not related to maintaining bridges and highways. That includes snow and ice removal and Department of
Motor Vehicles costs.

The bill to make sure the gasoline taxes and other fees are used for bridge and highway work would be phased in over five years. The
move gained urgency after last week's fatal bridge collapse in Minneapolis.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)