Category Archives: funding

Gas Tax Increase. 2 Governors. 1 Republican. 1 Democrat.

The Republican:

  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
  • 18 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28 cents a gallon
  • A State Commission recommended the gas tax increase in this  89-page report

The Democrat:

  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
  • 20 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28.6 cents a gallon

Governing | 18 Cents a Gallon? 20 Cents? Two Governors Float Major Gas Tax Hikes

Lege TREND. Anatomy of a Gas Tax + Its Alternative in a Red State with Trucking Association Support

Ohio Governor proposes raising the gas tax by 18 cents from the current 28 cents.

Supporters of the gas tax increase:

  • Ohio Trucking Association

The alternative: pay as you drive.

Opponents to Pay as You Drive say:

  • Pay as your Drive has high administrative costs
  • isn’t well vetted
  • hard to implement

Government Technology | Ohio Looks to Oregon’s Mileage Tax Plan to Fund Transportation

State Funded EV programs. 3 Agencies. $2.46 Billion.

Multiple state agencies in California have committed, in total, $2.46 billion* in public funds to EV programs including:

  • California Utility Commission
    •  $1.048 billion
    • Focus on constructing charging stations
    • Funding from ratepayer fees collected by the three investor-owned utilities CPUC oversees
    •  2015’s Senate Bill 350
  • California air resources board
    • $1.087 billion
    • More than half goes to the EV rebate program
    •  $423 million to zero-emission trucks, buses and other vehicles
  • Calif…

Lege TREND. Port Recommendations. Texas Interim Reports. 2019 Legislature. Speed Read.

House Committee on Transportation makes the following recommendations on ports:

  • Funding Ship Channel Improvement Revolving Fund should be funded
  • Underground Facility Notification. Railroad Commission, the General Land Office and the Port Authority Advisory Committee should work with stakeholders and the appropriate federal agencies to make a recommendation to the legislature regarding the inclusion of underwater infrastructure in the Texas Underground Facility Notification
  • Funding for roads…

Funding TREND. Ride Share Fee to pay for Transportation.

Where is this happening? Georgia

Why? Geogrias’ Department of Transportation says Uber owes the state $22.1 million in sales taxes and other charges. 

The ride share response? We are a tech company and not a transportation company subject to the sales tax like limos and taxis are

What is the fee proposal from the REPUBLICAN chair of the House Transportation Committee?

  • 50-cent fee on all rides for hire – including taxis, limos, Uber and Lyft, etc
  • Estiamted to generate $60 million a year for…

Lege TREND. Funding Transportation with Prison Funds

Where: Colorado

Legislation: SB267 (2017 | CO)  

  • converted a hospital provider fee that supported expanded Medicaid  to an enterprise fund, removing it from the general fund for $500 Million under the state general-fund spending cap
  • + $500 million in “lease-purchase” of state buildings
    • A dozen of the lease-purchase arrangements are prisons
    • Prisons make a good bond offering because of the necessity of prisons

Colorado Politics | How Colorado is using prisons to help fund transportation

High Speed Rail Audit in California. Biggest Cost Driver?

Not acquiring land prior to beginning construction is cited as the largest cost driver according to an audit of California’s High Speed Rail project.

Rushed construction contributed to $600 million in cost overruns in a single segment of the high spped project. 

What happens if the project fails to accelerate the project? It will be forced to repay up to $3.5 billion to the federal government

Sacramento Bee | Rushed construction cost high-speed rail $600 million and delays mount, audit finds

…