A new study by researchers at the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, and Energy finds that in order to achieve needed reductions in vehicle-based CO2 emissions, a combination of both market-based and regulatory policies must be adopted worldwide. Furthermore, the authors find that no one singular policy, even when implemented to the extreme, can achieve reductions equivalent to several policies combined.
taxes
Massachusetts looks towards carbon pricing to reduce GHG emissions
Last month Massachusetts released a study investigating how the commonwealth could implement a revenue-neutral carbon fee or tax to support the state’s GHG reduction goals. Massachusetts’ Department of Energy Resources requested that the researchers develop a system that would incentivize GHG reduction but that would use tax cuts or rebates to return to businesses and individuals an amount of money equivalent to what they pay under any new carbon pricing plan.
Commuter tax benefits: Who wins and loses?
A new report from TransitCenter shines a light on the federal Commuter Tax Benefits program and the impact the program has on mode choice. While the concept of excluding from taxation income spent on transportation to work may sound reasonable, in practice the program is heavily skewed in favor of drivers, provides a disproportionate benefit to the wealthy, costs taxpayers billions of dollars per year in uncollected revenue, and adds over 800,000 car commuters, driving over 4.6 billion additional miles per year to the nation’s road system.
Oregon leads the way in addressing transportation funding challenges
Many states are facing the same challenges as the federal government, with decreasing buying power from gas tax collections and little political support for raising the tax. Oregon has decided to take steps to circumvent the transportation funding cliff by implementing a pay-per-mile program that will launch in July 2015. A new report by ODOT describes Oregon’s evolving pay-per-mile fee.
Portland considering new parking lot tax to spur development
Portland is considering a new tax on surface parking lots to spur development in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. These taxes, in effect in 49 cities in the U.S., are most commonly assessed as a percentage of daily or monthly parking fees but may also be levied as a flat tax per parking space.
States push for tolls to fund transportation; public opinion mixed
As states struggle to fill budget gaps left by declining fuel tax revenues, many are turning increasingly to tolls. As reported recently by Stateline, lower rates of driving and weak revenues from new toll-managed highways have pushed many states to consider new tolls on existing facilities, along with other strategies such as mileage-based fees. A recent report from the Metropolitan Planning Council in Chicago confirms that many new toll roads around the country have struggled or failed entirely. That leaves tolling existing facilities as an increasingly viable option for transportation funding and also an appealing traffic management strategy on already congested routes.
VMT fees, per-mile insurance make headway
Although several states have considered VMT fees as an alternative to the gas tax, none have yet instituted them. But recent news articles show that interest is still high, and some states may be inching toward this model. Insurance billed on a per-mile basis is also beginning to appear.
Pre-tax transit benefits return to parity with parking in 2013
Included in the fiscal cliff deal was a provision to return employee pre-tax transit benefits to parity with parking.
Pre-tax transit benefits return to parity with parking in 2013
Included in the fiscal cliff deal was a provision to return employee pre-tax transit benefits to parity with parking.