Gas Tax
Streetsblog Basics
American Roads Depend on Handouts From Bus Riders, Cyclists, Pedestrians
Once upon a time in America, the road system was largely funded by the gas tax. But that was many Highway Trust Fund bailouts ago.
May 5, 2015
Study: Most Roads Don’t Pay for Themselves
Most American roads -- even the most highly trafficked -- are financial losers. That's a major finding from a new study by the Center for American Progress [PDF].
May 4, 2015
Chris Christie Keeps Trying to Balance NJ’s Books on Backs of Transit Riders
Governor Chris Christie has really made a mess of New Jersey's transportation finances. Since 2011, the governor's "flipping the couch cushions" strategy has resulted in the state amassing an additional $5.2 billion in debt.
April 23, 2015
Ranking the Sad Parade of Federal Transpo Funding Ideas From Worst to Best
The problem seems simple enough: The federal transportation program is going broke because Washington has allowed the gas tax to be eroded by inflation for more than 20 years.
March 19, 2015
Building Cloverleafs Won’t Inspire Americans to Pay More for Transportation
The federal transportation fund is running out of money, threatening the country with potholes, stopped construction, and economic downturn. Congress, which has kept the program solvent with short-term patches for years, now finds itself unable to do more than buy a few months’ time.
July 23, 2014
Is Obama Opposed to the Bipartisan Gas Tax Proposal or Just Noncommittal?
Yesterday, The Huffington Post ran this headline: “White House Appears More Open To A Gas Tax Hike.” Minutes later, The Hill published this one: “White House opposes gas tax hike to fix transportation funding.” So, which is it?
June 24, 2014
Senators Murphy (D) and Corker (R) Propose 12-Cent Gas Tax Increase
There are several proposals on the table to stave off the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (which pays for transit, biking, and walking projects too) in two months. Just now, two senators teamed up to announce one that might actually have a chance.
June 18, 2014
Barbara Boxer’s Transportation Bill: Same As It Ever Was
The future of national transportation policy is pretty much like the present of national transportation policy, if the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has its way: underfunded and highway-centric.
May 13, 2014
Uncle Sam Wants You to Drive: 5 Tax Breaks for Cars in the U.S. Tax Code
It’s April 15. If you bought an electric car in 2013, you can claim a tax break today. If you bought a plug-in hybrid, you can get a tax break today. But if you don’t own a car and walk to work instead? Sorry, Charlie.
April 15, 2014
Concrete Proposals for Raising Gas Tax Finally on the Table
After a lot of vague talk about transportation revenues since the passage of MAP-21 -- “everything is on the table” and “we need to think outside the box” -- real proposals are finally being presented.
December 3, 2013