Campaign Trend: Hit on Transportation Funding. 2 Key Points.

Americans for Prosperity, a group associated with the Koch borthers, is hitting Christie on transportation funding.

What you need to know now to be informed:

  • Americans for Prosperity are Opposed to gas taxes
  • Calling on a leader for transportation fudning

NJ voters will vote on dedicating the remained of the gas tax, about $40M, to transportation funding.

NJ.com | Koch Bros. group hits Christie on lack of N.J. transportation fix

INTERIM New Transportation Reinvestment Zone on the Horizon. 4 Points to be Informed.

Which local governmental entity is pursuing a transportation reinvestment zone? Weatherford

What’s the name of the TRZ?  Weatherford Transportation Investment Partnership

What’s Weatherford’s goals with the TRZ?

  • allocate taxes for new roadway projects
  • spur business development along Interstate 20
  • specificallt to “promote development in specific areas near the Interstate 20 corridor that lack roadway access”

What’s the revenue breakdown in the TRZ?

  • 75% of “additional property taxes on new development would be designated to cover the cost of the new infrastructure”
  • 25% remainder goes to the city

Weatherford Democrat | Council pursues reinvestment zone

INTERIM Self Driving Cars Get $4 billion in Testing Funds. 3 Points to Be Informed.

  • Transportation Secretary  Anthony Foxx made the announcement with Google and auto manufacturers General Motors, Ford Motor Co., Volvo, Fiat Chrysler and Honda
  • $4 billion pledged by the federal government to fund research and testing projects
  • The supportive goals relied on by the Secretary:
    • improve the U.S .transportation system
    • improve vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology
    • safety via obstacle and accident avoidance
    • 75% of the country lives in 11 mega regions, that means self driving cars could save 25,000 lives per year.

Industry Week | US Pledges $4 Billion to Speed Self-Driving Cars

Trend: Eastern State Leader. No Votes on New Tolls.

I thought east coast states ran on tollways, where is there a vote moratorium? Connecticut

Who is pushing for no new toll votes? The Senate leader

What’s the rational? First, the public needs to vote to ensure dedicated transportation funding before the Legisalture votes on tolls.

What’s the transportation fudning situation in Connecticut? The Governor is proposing a 30 year, $100 billion transportation funding plan that will:

  • raise state sales tax by 1/2 a penny to 6.85%
  • increase the gasoline tax by 2 cents per gallon per year for 7 years

Hartford Courant | Senate President: No Votes On Tolls Until 2017

INTERIM: Lege Trend: Legislator Pushing Ride Share Forms Caucus for the Sharing Economy.

California Legislature has a newly formed Tech Caucus. It’s full name is the Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus. 

One would think if any state had a tech caucus, it’d be California. Such is not the case. It was founded by the legislator pushing ride share legislation in California. 

The priorities of the newly founded tech caucus are:

  • Touting the sharing economy. 
    •  ride share, fly share, move share, house share
  • Workforce training and workplace diversity
  • Bringing together tech industries and associations

The Recorder | Tech Caucus Forms, But Hasn’t Taken Shape

One County Racks up $358M In Unpaid Tolls

Which Texas County has $358M in unpaid tolls? Harris

How much does $358M in unpaid tolls equal in toll lane miles? About the same as the cost of 15 miles of the Grand Avenue Parkway

How do these unpaid tolls break down by driver numbers?

  • 84,673 vehicle owe more than $1,000
  • 27 drivers who owe more than $20,000 each
  • One person owes $46,000

Express News | Harris County racks up $358M in unpaid tolls

INTERIM. 3 Bills that Require Interim Studies due in 2016.

Texas Legislative Council reminds us that the 2015 Legislature passed a bunch of bills with a bunch of interim study requirements. 

The transportation related interim studies from 2015 bills:

Texas Legislative Council | Interim Studies established by Enrolled Bills and Resolutions of the 84th Legislature

Plains State Proposal: Transportation Infrastructure Bank. 3 Points to Get You Ahead of the Game.

Governor Ricketts of Nebraska has a new transportation funding plan. It’s all centered around a new transportation infrastructure bank that will:

  • Be solely funded with cash reserves
  • Only fund pay as you go projects
  • Will have the power to:
    • accelerate road construction projects
    • help counties with funding for expedited bridge repair
    • fund transportation projects that support industry expansion
    • fund transportation projects that attract businesses to Nebraska 

WOWT | Governor Unveils Transportation Plan

Lege Trend: Fund Transportation by Eliminating Economic Development Tax Credits.

The pitch by some in Missouri is that transportation funding can increase by eliminating tax credits for economic development. 

Future economic development tax credits are possible under this proposal, if and only if the Legislature meets the funding request of the Missouri transportation agency.

KGOZ | Harrisonville state representative seeks to have public vote for transportation funding 

High Speed Rail. Compare & Contrast. The Bids to Build.

California is the other big state thats working on high speed rail. The Californians are further along than other high speed rail projects.

California has aquired land and has awarded bids for building.

So, let’s take a look, so we can see what’s on the horizon. Knowledge is power.

The California bids for a 22 mile stretch of high speed rail in the San Joaquin Valley:

  • apparent best value bid: California Rail Builders. $347.5 million. 
    • competitors came in at $377 million; $462 million & $581 million.
    • The 1st construction contract awarded was in 2013 to build 29 miles at $1 billion
    • The 2nd was awarded in 2015 at $1.3 billion for 65 miles.

Fresno Bee | Spanish team poised to win new high-speed rail contract