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3 states in recent months have strengthened regulations for tranporting oil via train. The states:
What do the new regulations do?
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) is proposing the state increase the state’s 21.4 cents-per-gallon gas tax. The current combined, federal and state, gas tax is 39.8 cents per gallon.
Tennessee Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) says “If there’s a basic function of government, it is to build infrastructure.”
Utah lawmakers reformatted transportation funding in 2 significant ways:
An Arizona Senator said of Utah,
“In 22 states, and mostly red…
Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association is promoting an initiative to significantly raise tobacco taxes. The details:
WGEM.COM: Proposed tobacco tax hike in Missouri could help area roads
“There has been some discussion about a portion of that tax being diverted away from highway construction. We were able to stop that in the current budget. That is approximately $650 million per year that will be spent on highway maintenance and construction,” Wray said. “That was an item and topic that I heard a lot about on the campaign trail. I am happy to report to you that we were able to end that diversion.”
Missouri Supreme Court struck down red light cameras this week. The rational:
Courts have also halted red light camera use in Florida. Illinois & California have upheld the use…
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a report on the proposed path of the Texas Central Rail. Nothing salcious. But, here’s the next steps:
A group of former CEOs and executives formed a group that thought it would support high speed rail for the economic devleopment opportunities for Ellis County.
Once it was determined that Ellis County wouldn’t see economic development as the train speeds through, the group shifted course to killing high speed rail.
The group wants to keep high speed rail out of Ellis County because:
The Dallas Observer points out that the funding message for the team bringing high speed rail to Texas has shifted from all private fudning to exploring certain public funding options.
Public funding options for high speed rail include:
The gas tax is taking center stage for campaign season in South Carolina. “Anti-tax activists are working the phones to secure GOP senators’ opposition in 2016, when every legislator is up for re-election.”
The message: Reform the system. Don’t add more money. No new taxes. Governance reforms include:
The Chamber of Commerce retorts that reform is needed along…