Most discussion of possible solutions to the problem of stagnant gas tax revenues has focused on increasing user fees in some way – e.g., by raising fuel taxes, adding tolls, and/or adding VMT-based fees. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s proposal to eliminate the gas tax and pay for transportation with an increased sales tax, thereby abandoning the decades-old concept of funding transportation with user fees, seems to have united both the left and right in opposition.
gas tax
Who Pays for Roads in Wisconsin? (1000 Friends of Wisconsin and COWS, 2011)
Transportation is one of the biggest-ticket items for state and local government. The cost is high, and so is misunderstanding of who pays for what. Taxpayers cover costs that should be borne by road users and these …
Building Public Support to Fund Preservation Work (Spitfire Strategies, 2012)
The Iowa Department of Transportation asked SSTI for assistance building public support for a gas tax increase to fund critical repair and maintenance work. SSTI contracted with Spitfire Strategies, a strategic communications firm that works exclusively with nonprofits and foundations, to help Iowa craft effective messaging that would resonate with policymakers and key stakeholders. Based on SSTI and Spitfire’s work in Iowa and recent polling, this paper outlines how transportation professionals can gain support for a “fix-it-first” approach to transportation policy. It highlights messages and tactics that have effectively garnered voter and policymaker support and presents lessons learned from the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Cost of Alternative Revenue Generation Systems (TRB, 2011)
This report evaluates and measures the administrative, collection, and enforcement costs associated with five revenue-generating policies: fuel tax, tolling, VMT fees, congestion pricing, and parking fees. Download the full report here.
GAO: When it comes to highways, all states now receive more funds than they contribute
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that between 2005 and 2009, every state received more Federal-Aid Highway Program dollars than it contributed through the gas tax and other fees. This is …
GAO: When it comes to highways, all states now receive more funds than they contribute
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that between 2005 and 2009, every state received more Federal-Aid Highway Program dollars than it contributed through the gas tax and other fees. This is …
Funding infrastructure repairs: Pennsylvania considers its options
Budget constraints and a bleak economic forecast are forcing Governor Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania to consider new ways to fund improvements to the state’s transportation infrastructure. The Governor’s advisory commission estimates that $2.7 billion is …
As gas tax yields less revenue, renewed focus is placed on a mileage tax
Higher fuel efficiency standards and a weak economy have made the motor-fuel tax—the principal fundraiser for road costs in the US for 80 years—increasingly less viable. As better mileage becomes the norm in the American …
As gas tax yields less revenue, renewed focus is placed on a mileage tax
Higher fuel efficiency standards and a weak economy have made the motor-fuel tax—the principal fundraiser for road costs in the US for 80 years—increasingly less viable. As better mileage becomes the norm in the American …
No unanimity on Illinois Tollway proposal to increase tolls
The Illinois Tollway wants to fund a $12 billion 15-year capital plan with increases in tolls. Two-thirds of the money is to keep the existing 286 miles of the Tollway in a state of good …