December 2014 – InfoHive

Leach: 3 Transportation Funding Solutions & Bill to be Filed

Leach’s transportation funding solutions:

“Stopping diversions from the State Mobility Fund
Dedicating some of the motor vehicle sales tax to the State Highway Fund (SHF) and
Dedicating a larger percentage of the general revenue to the state’s transportation fund.” Community Impact for Collin County

Leach’s soon to be filed transportation …

Collin County & City Leaders: Toll Lanes Are Our Current Solution to Transportation Funding

Explosive growth in North Texas has meant more strain on limited transportation funding.

Collin County transportation funding solutions are:

Toll HOV lanes or new lanes on existing roadways
Local residents oppose it, but it’s the only way to get additional funding until more state transportation funding happens

Collin County Officials Point to the Followign Transportation Funding Problems:

“state budget dedicated to road funding h…

Carbon Fee Revenue Equal to Gas Tax Increase for Transportation Funding

Washington Governor Inslee proposes a carbon charge on the state’s industrial pollution as a method to fund transportation.

The carbon fee will generate $7 Billion over 12 years, and will generate revenue equal to raising the gas tax by 12 cents. AP via SeattlePi

Republican Iowa Governor: Yes to Transportation Funding from the Gas Tax

Iowa also has a transportation funding crisis. Governor Brandstad is looking for a bipartisan solution.

To get to the revenue levels Iowa needs, the following proposals fit the bill:

10 cent gas tax increase & index the gas tax to inflation
“A “combination” tax that lowered the per-gallon tax to 16 cents and added a 5 percent sales tax on the retail price of fuel.” Posted by adminDecember 16, 2014Posted infunding, legislative trend, roads

Nichols & Metcalf Support Vehicle Sales Tax Dedication to TXDOT

Take aways from a Conroe forum featuring Senator Nichols and Representative-Elect Metcalf:

$3.5Billion can be added to road funding by dedicating vehcile sales tax to TXDOT
Cut unnecessary spending
To offset the hit to general revenue from dedicating the vehicle sales tax, Metcalf is quoted as saying “Our plan is to add 10 percent of the funds to the road funds over a 10-year span.”

[ Posted by adminDecember 11, 2014Posted in2015 legislation, funding, roads

Abbott Supports $4Billion in Transportation Funding

On Monday, Governor- elect Abbott announced staff and legisltive plans, including adding $4Billion to the transportation coffers. He hopes to accomplisht his by:

Dedicating sales taxes collected on vehicle sales to road construction and maintenance.
Resulting in more than $2 billion a year added to the highway fund.
Ensuring more of the gasoline taxes go to roads, without touching the gasoline taxes that fund DPS. [ Posted by adminDecember 11, 2014Posted in2015 legislation, funding, roads

Drivers License on your Phone- State Contract to Write the App

Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles is releasing an app that will function as your driver’s license. No more getting ticketed for not having your driver’s license with you, unless your phone battery is drained.

State officials assure that the app and driver’s license will be secure from data security breeches. [

Gas Tax Legislation Tour, Maine Edition

Raising the gas tax. Indexing the gas tax. Multiple states are wrangling with it.

Highlights from Maine:

Gov. LePage says he’ll veto any bill raising the gas tax
Gas tax (federal and state) makes of 3/4 of funding for transportation (including bridges)
Maine’s gas tax is 30cents
Maine use to index the gas tax, but stopped, proponents say indexing helped Maine keep up with transportation funding needs. [ Posted by adminDecember 8, 2014Posted infunding, legislative trend, roads