Gas Tax
Streetsblog Basics
Even the Godfather of Rail~Volution Wouldn’t Raise the Gas Tax Right Now
At Rail~Volution yesterday, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) -- also known as the godfather of the “rail~volution” -- said even he wouldn’t raise the gas tax right now.
October 19, 2011
House and Senate Agree on 6-Month Transpo Extension
Just days after a Senate committee asked the full chamber to consider a four-month extension of SAFETEA-LU, new negotiations have replaced that idea with a six-month extension at current spending levels. The bill also extends the gas tax.
September 12, 2011
It’s Official: Congress’s Next Spitting Contest Will Be Over the Gas Tax
Since the 112th Congress convened in January, the federal government almost shut down, the government almost defaulted on its debts, and the FAA was temporarily shuttered. It’s the Crisis Congress, thriving on the chaos of catastrophe. Next up: a bruising fight over funding the transportation system.
August 11, 2011
GM CEO: “We Ought to Just Slap a Dollar Tax on a Gallon of Gas”
Well, it’s unanimous – everyone agrees the country needs a significant hike in the gas tax. Everyone outside of Congress, that is. Last week, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson told The Detroit News that a higher gas tax would help solidify the market for more fuel-efficient cars.
June 8, 2011
Missouri, Welcome to the Era of the Broke State DOT
Word went out in a press release early last month: The Missouri Department of Transportation would be eliminating 1,200 jobs, closing 135 facilities and selling 740 pieces of equipment.
June 7, 2011
In Effort to Pander to Drivers, 48 Senators Vote to Up Oil Company Profits
The New York State Senate voted for a "gas tax holiday" yesterday, moving to eliminate the three state taxes on fuel for the busy Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends this year. The estimated loss of revenue would be $60 million.
May 25, 2011
Without Adequate Federal Funding, Will States Raise Their Own Gas Taxes?
Connecticut state senators just voted to increase the state gas tax by three cents. The New Hampshire House Speaker has proposed cutting theirs by five cents – but only for two months, to help drivers bear the pain of high gas prices. In Georgia, the gas tax jumps every time gas prices go up by 25 cents. And at least one U.S. Senator is suggesting that more states start taking transportation funding into their own hands.
April 25, 2011
AFL-CIO and Chamber of Commerce Ask For a Gas Tax Hike; Senators Agree
Against all odds, in a time of high unemployment and Republican attacks on spending, momentum may finally be building for a gas tax increase.
February 16, 2011
Actually, Highway Builders, Roads Don’t Pay For Themselves
You’ve heard it a thousand times from the highway lobby: Roads pay for themselves through "user fees" -- a.k.a. gas taxes and tolls -- whereas transit is a drain on the taxpayer. They use this argument to push for new roads, instead of transit, as fiscally prudent investments.
January 4, 2011