The start of the year (and new terms and legislative sessions) has brought a renewed interest in our nation's infrastructure. Governors and legislators in several states kicked off
the year with proposals to increase transportation investment.
Proposals range
from sales and gas tax increases to new vehicle registration fees and local taxing authority.Unique among this year's proposals are suggestions of
eliminating state gas taxes or decreasing the federal gas tax in an effort to
devolve infrastructure financing authority to the states.
Highlights:
Idaho- Governor Butch Otter said in his State of the State message
that he
supports
a broad local option tax, which had previously only been allowed in resort
cities.
Indiana- Legislation is making it's with
through
the Indiana House that would allow Marion and Hamilton Counties
(Indianapolis) to go to voters for an income tax increase to support expansion
of public transit. Efforts to get enabling authority to improve transit
in this region are many years in the making.
Maryland- Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller has proposed
allowing
counties to impose their on 5 cents a gallon gas tax to support local
roads and transit. His proposal also includes a 3 percent statewide sales tax
on gasoline purchases. Governor Martin O'Malley has been
meeting
with lawmakers specifically to achieve consensus on a transportation
funding plan.
Massachusetts- Governor Deval Patrick released a
comprehensive
transportation fundingplan designed to generate over $1 billion annually
for the states roads and transit systems. Options included increases to sales,
gas or income taxes, a fee on vehicle miles traveled, and increased fees on
heavily-polluting vehicles.
Pennsylvania- Governor Tom Corbett has
proposed
a 25-cent per gallon increase to the state gas tax over the next five
years. This would generate $1.8 billion annually for transportation projects.
Most of the funding would go to repair structurally deficient roadways and
bridges, but state's largest transit system would also receive extra funding.
Utah- The Utah Senate is
moving
forward a bill asking Congress to lower the federal gas tax so that
the states can increase theirs and have more direct control over transportation
funding. A similar bill may be introduced in Congress, but is unlikely to get
much traction.
Virginia- Governor Robert F. McDonnell
proposed
a sweeping plan to raise $3.1 billion over five-years for its
cash-strapped transportation system. The proposal included an increase in
vehicle registration fees, an increase in the state's sales tax and revenue
from the implementation of an internet sales tax. Most intriguing about this
proposal was not the $100 charge on drivers of alternative-fuel cars, but the
elimination of the state gas tax to reduce the overall tax burden.
A committee in the Virginia Senate
approved
a compromise bill last week that increases the state gas tax, transfers more
general funds to transportation and gives certain local jurisdictions authority
to go to voters for a 1 cent sales tax.
Wisconsin- A state transportation
commission
has proposed a 5-cent per gallon increase in the state's gas tax, an
increase in heavy truck registration fees, and an increase in vehicle
registration fees based on miles traveled. Combined, the measures would provide
an additional $480 million annually over 10 years for the state's transportation
system.
