SB 184 and SJR 15 seek to:
- Increase budgetary transparency
- Add millions to highway coffers
- No new taxes, tolls, fees or debt [Austin Business Journal]
Category Archives: roads
Gas Tax is Complicated When Governor Eyes Presidency
New Jersey needs more funding for transportation. Its a common refrain. New Jersey has the nation’s 2nd lowest gas tax at 10.5 cents.
New Jersey has a Transportation Trust Fund, but the funds go to pay transportation bond debt. Sounding familiar?
To fill transportation funding gaps, NJ raised its toll prices. It’s not enough.
The head of the Assembly’s Transportation Committee wants to increase the wholesale gas price. The cost to people in NJ will be about 80cent…
North Texas Regional Transportation Council Cancels 2 Tollroad Proposals
North Texas Regional Transportation Council cancels its plans to move forward with a rural tollroad and The Trinity Parkway tollroad proposal.
A couple months ago the Trinity project drew very vocal opposition because a private entity had authority to exercise the power eminent domain. [Dallas Morning News]
Fuel Tax Changes Popular Throughout the US.
Transportation Funding, including fuel tax increase options, are being bandied about in IA, MI, MN, WI, NJ, SC… just to name a few.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports increasing the fuel tax. It says that its fair and efficient, as long as the additional revenue goes to transportation projects. [LandLineMag]
TAB: Prioritize Funding for Roads
Texas Association of Business released its 2015 priorities. Funding for transportation and higher education top the list.
Texas Department of Transportation says it needs $5Billion more per year to maintain roads at the status quo. [Texas Tribune]
Texas Transportation Funding in Governing Magazine
Governing looked at how well transportation measures fared during the election. Pretty well, it seems as roughly 2/3 passed. Governing highlights facts about Texas transportation dollars and Governor-Elect Abbott’s transportation funding strategy:
- “Texas A&M University say the state needs $5 billion more a year just to keep congestion at current levels.”
- “Abbott has proposed changes to the state budget to direct more money toward transportation. He would put str…
Funding: Tax on Alternative Vehicle Power
New Jersey proposes to fix a transportation funding gap with a “portion of the sales tax people are already paying for the electricity, hydrogen and natural gas they need to power their alternate fuel vehicles.” [NJ 101.5]
Lame Duck US Congress Raise the Gas Tax?
Transportation funding via a gas tax increase may be on the agenda of the lame duck Congress. The federal portion of the gas tax has not been raised since 1993. State rely on federal transportation funding for about 52% of their funding needs. [The Hill]
2/3 of Road Funding Initiatives Passed on Election Day
“American Road & Transportation Builders Association, a trade group, voters approved two-thirds of the transportation-related initiatives on the ballot Tuesday.” Pundits say that as federal funding stalls, there is more of an impetus for state and local transportation funding measures. [Ft. Worth Star Telegram]
TPPF: Building A Safer, Less Congested Future
TPPF suggests we look to technology for the answer for better and safer roads. By prioritizing transportation technology over concrete and roads we end up with better and safer transportation system. Ideas to achieve these goals are:
- “Texas should ‘cooperate in the development and use of consistent road striping, sign, signal, and similar standards that can be read by autonomous vehicles.”
- “Additionally, the Texas Department of Transportation should turn road design…