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Fund Transportation with a Dedicated Tax Mitigated by Tax Cuts Elsewhere. 2 Key Pieces of Info

New Jersey Legislature passed a 23 cent gas tax increase to fund transportation. 

What do I need to know about the 23 cent tax gas increase?

  • Offset by other tax cuts ($16 billion or $1.4 billion depending who you ask)
    • elimination of the estate tax
    • cuts the sales from 7 cents to 6.625 cents
    • increased tax benefits for the working poor and veterans
  • Also created a 4 member transportation project approval board consisting of:
    • Governor appointees
    • Senate President appointee
    • Speaker…

TREND. Sharing Economy. What's the fight over fingerprinting?

Atlanta airport is welcoming ride share companies. In the process, finger printing became an issue. Here are the arguments for and against:

Argument FOR:

  • Airport officials said it was a security measure

 

Arguments AGAINST:

  • fingerprint information is incomplete
  • fingerprint information is dsicriminatory
    • 50% of African American men are arrested by age 23
    • 44% of Latino men are arrested by age 23
    • law enforcement records are incomplete and inaccurate
  • law enforcement arrest records,…

Local Gov. Trend. 1 Step to Peace and Love. Uber and Lyft Agree to this Ordinance.

The peace accord reaching local governmental entity: Florida’s Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission

The peace accord: 

  • 15 month trial
  • Drivers will undergo a level 2 background check for criminal history, including sexual abuse
  • No  fingerprinting
  • Insurance responsibility: on the driver

Tampa Bay News 10

TREND. Ride Share Moving into Health Care Ride Share.

When did Uber and Lyft discuss a move into healthcare transportation?  At Boston’s U.S. DPharm Disruptive Innovation gathering

Uber‘s launch:  Circulation, an on-demand convenient and efficient ride-booking solution dedicated for the healthcare industry.

Lyft offers data: 30% wait-time reduction, a 32% cost savings & 80% improvement in patient satisfaction.

Investopedia | Uber and Lyft Eye Healthcare Transportation

Neighbor to the East has a Governor's Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Investment

What is Louisiana’s Governor’s Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Investment​ doing these days?

  • Appointed in June
  • Goal is to reduce the state’s $12.7 billion transportation backlog

What ideas has the Task Force received from local leaders?

  •  Higher gas tax with different rates for commercial users and individuals
  • Interstate Tolls

The Advertiser | Gas tax, tolls suggested to fund La. transportation needs

Lege Trend. Ride Share. California Revised Rules for Background Checks. 3 Pieces of Intel:

California Governor signed a bill requiring the following new background checks for ride share drivers:

  • Background checks must go back more than 7 years
  • Prevents the following people from being ride share drivers:
    • Any violent felony conviction
    • Sex offenders
    • Any prior violent misdemeanor convictions
    • Any citation for driving under the influence of alcohol violations in the past 7 years
  • Uber and Lyft supported the legislation

CNET | ​California tightens background checks on…

2 Reasons West Coast Governor Vetoes High Speed Rail Oversight Bill

Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill calling for more oversight of California’s high speed rail project    for the following reasons:

  • The Governor had already signed a bill to increase legislative presence in the high speed rail oversight commission
  • There are existing high statutory standards of accountability and transparency

KQED | Governor Vetoes High-Speed Rail Oversight Bill

California’s AB 2847

Study Says Best Long Term Highway Funding Mechanism is Mileage Charge

The researchers: School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis & IndyGo

The study:“State and federal fuel taxes: The road ahead for U.S. infrastructure funding” published in January 2017 Journal of Transport Policy 

The reasons why a vehicle mileage tax is the best long term transportation funding source:

  • fuel tax revenues decline with no adjustment for inflation
  • taxing vehicle mileage avoids long term revenue declines

Indiana…