Monthly Archives: March 2016

Transportation Funding via Tax the 1% on the East Coast. 3 Bits Informed Intel.

  • Every state needs more transportation dollars, which sparked Massachusettes to consider a ballot question of a millionaires tax
  • The tax would be an additional 4 percent tax on individuals’ incomes over $1 million
  • Tax revenues would be split between transportation and education

Boston.com | Advocates eye ‘millionaire’s tax’ for new transportation funding

TRENDING. Legal: High Speed Rail Win in West.

High speed rail enjoyed a legal victory in California when a judge threw out a case against it.

What tactic did the high speed rail opponent employ in California Courts? Opponents said that the high speed rail project did not comply with restrictions on rail by voters.

What did the court say? We don’t know if high speed rail hasn’t complied because high speed rail isn’t up and running in California. It could still comply. 

What are opponents saying now? High Speed Rail will still have…

INTERIM CALLING. 2 Reasons Tech Companies Oppose Bills to Regulate Ride Share Drivers. 2 Locals Moving Bills.

  • Drivers should be free to earn what they want, when they want to earn it
  • Bills directed at the worker status in the sharing economy unfairly target these contract driver over other industries that also utilize contract workers

What governmental bodies are moving this type of sharing economy legislation, that targets ride share drivers?

  • Seattle by ordinance
  • California, pending AB 1727

The Recorder | Internet Association Takes Shot at Gig-Economy Bill

Lege TREND: Reconfigure Airport Boards for Regionalization.

Which airport board is being reconfigured? Jackson, Mississippi’s Airport Board

What’s the current board like? The airport is on city owned land and the baord reflects the city control of the airport.

What’s the hubub? Surrounding counties want a say. As a result, the following seats were added to the airport board:

  • 2 adjacent counties each get 1 seat
  • Mississippi Development Baord gets 1 seat
  • Mississippi National Guard gets 1 seat
  • The Governor gets 3 seats to appoint

How does the…

TREND: Local tax increases for Transportation.

What state is considering allowing local entities to rise taxes for transportation? Massachusettes

What states do they point to that are already allowing local entities to raise sales taxes for transportation projects? California, Colorado, Ohio

What would the MA bill do? Require a local ballot before raising sales taxes that would be solely dedicated to local transportation projects

What are example local transportation projects?  fix local roads, expand rail service and create more…

Texas Central Rail Partner Opponents File Lawsuit.

Who filed a lawsuit? Texans Against High-Speed Rail

Who is the lawsuit against? TXDOT & Attorney General Paxton

What’s causing the foray into the courts? A public information request from Texans for High Speed Rail that sought any documents at TXDOT related to Texas Central Parnters.

What was the response to the public information request?  Texans Against High-Speed Rail believes that documents were withheld, and the documents provided were heavily redacted without…

Transportation Systems. Data Security Warning. Interim Ready.

Who is issuing the warning? The Obama Adminsitration

What entities are being warned about data security threats?

  • power companies
  • water suppliers
  • transportation networks

What’s sparked the warning? The attack n the Ukraine’s power grid 2 months ago. It was the first cyberattack that produced a wide spread blackout

What was the target of the cyber attack? industrial control systems that act as the intermediary between computers and the switches

What could hackers do with control…

3 Key Points from Texas tollroad Operator Filing for Bankruptcy

  • The private company used its own funds to build the $13.3 billion tollroad segment under a 50-year lease with TxDOT
  • The Statesman has said the tollroad is 30% below projected use
  • No impact to Texas drivers who use the tollroad nor to Texas taxpayers for the unpaid toll road debt

KVUE |Part operator of SH 130 Toll files for bankruptcy

Statesman | Owner of southern section of Texas 130 files for bankruptcy

Texas Tribune | SH 130 Toll Road Operator Files for Bankruptcy

 

Vehicle Miles Traveled Road Funding. + 1 State & its a huge state.

What state is now considering to join Oregon with a vehicle miles traveled tax?

California

What are supporter arguments?

  • California has athe 45th worst roads in the country
  • Bad roads cost Californians $44 billion/year
  • Gas consumption peaked in 2005, making gas taxes an unreliable funding source
  • USC study shows a 2.1 cents per mile traveled tax can replace all of the revenue gained from the current state excise and sales taxes on gasoline

Tax Foundation | The VMT tax: A solution to…