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Author	Topic: Drop the Federal Gas Tax and Build Better Roads	Post a Reply Back to Topics

investmentdr Champion Author Cleveland Posts:4,014 Points:1,452,125 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 8:56:37 AM Ignore investmentdr Report Abuse Any transportation official knows how to deal with a broken-down car blocking rush-hour traffic: Move it to the side of the road and let everyone else get where they’re going. This comes to mind as Congress starts work on yet another transportation bill -- only a few months after passing the last one, which was just another in a long series of temporary extensions. The problem is the gas tax. Set in nominal terms, it has declined in value drastically since it was last increased in 1993 -- even as the price of gas itself has tripled. As a result, both the main Highway Trust Fund and its transit account (often called the transit trust fund) are bankrupt. Visit Bloomberg for full article

investmentdr

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Cleveland

Posts:4,014
Points:1,452,125
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Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 8:56:37 AM

Ignore investmentdr Report Abuse

Any transportation official knows how to deal with a broken-down car blocking rush-hour traffic: Move it to the side of the road and let everyone else get where they’re going.

This comes to mind as Congress starts work on yet another transportation bill -- only a few months after passing the last one, which was just another in a long series of temporary extensions.

The problem is the gas tax. Set in nominal terms, it has declined in value drastically since it was last increased in 1993 -- even as the price of gas itself has tripled. As a result, both the main Highway Trust Fund and its transit account (often called the transit trust fund) are bankrupt.

Visit Bloomberg for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

sjf238 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,215 Points:647,205 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 12:53:16 PM Ignore sjf238 Report Abuse yep!
blupupher Champion Author Houston Posts:3,534 Points:745,720 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:51:19 AM Ignore blupupher Report Abuse sounds good to me. The feds just waste them money, let the money stay in the state.
NedW Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:5,599 Points:1,139,320 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 7:58:40 AM Ignore NedW Report Abuse I agree whole heartedly, Discovery02.
lesndave Champion Author Texas Posts:3,027 Points:698,455 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 11:41:52 PM Ignore lesndave Report Abuse Hmmmm
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,076 Points:1,620,255 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:41:42 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse This is a 'Bloomberg View' piece and is from their clearly identified OPINION section. Please follow the posting rules invesmentdr. Our shifty U.S. Congress is just too chicken to simply just set the federal gas tax at a fixed percentage that will adequately fund all suface transportation maintenance and highway improvements. It is a dangerous game and many of us will pay with our lives in a traffic accident or bridge collapse. President Eisinhower established the Interstate highway system and it is now time to pony up and pay to maintain it!
esq262 Champion Author Asheville Posts:2,887 Points:645,565 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:49:34 PM Ignore esq262 Report Abuse Let's hope c
BuckyTJones Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:4,932 Points:967,950 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 8:27:14 PM Ignore BuckyTJones Report Abuse Chances of any tax drop or lowering is about the same as having a government that will do whats best for the people or country.
sickhp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,364 Points:514,205 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 4:39:19 PM Ignore sickhp Report Abuse Obama wants more of our money not less.
Discovery02 Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:2,530 Points:307,740 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 4:20:23 PM Ignore Discovery02 Report Abuse Making Congress pull off the road and get out of the way of progress is the best suggestion I've heard in years. I'll second the motion. All in favor...?
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,059 Points:1,445,400 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 4:01:25 PM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse The biggest problems facing the US are the ones created and festered by Congress. Congress has done its very best to destroy the US from within, and it seems like they are succeeding.
xgojim All-Star Author Michigan Posts:518 Points:449,175 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 3:40:57 PM Ignore xgojim Report Abuse We would need real leadership in Washington to pull this off and that ain't happening.
xgojim All-Star Author Michigan Posts:518 Points:449,175 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 3:37:51 PM Ignore xgojim Report Abuse Collect/bury an additional tax at the wholesale level and consumers will be more willing to accept it.
bluetruck54 Champion Author Quad Cities Posts:1,453 Points:439,760 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 3:36:52 PM Ignore bluetruck54 Report Abuse it's bankrupt because the fed's can not manage it: let the states handle it..
crep1291 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,576 Points:480,635 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 1:17:24 PM Ignore crep1291 Report Abuse I like it too.
DesertRat2011 Champion Author Riverside Posts:3,602 Points:482,880 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:55:18 AM Ignore DesertRat2011 Report Abuse I like his idea!!
1stupedaso Sophomore Author Kentucky Posts:197 Points:70,420 Joined:Dec 2012	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:14:17 AM Ignore 1stupedaso Report Abuse Those that use the roads and bridges,should pay for them
BlueVanGroup Champion Author Colorado Posts:7,195 Points:1,525,730 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:11:37 AM Ignore BlueVanGroup Report Abuse The federal government uses gas tax funds as a leash to keep a chokehold on the states. They would never willingly give up that unconstitutional power.
cdrrod Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:4,139 Points:780,850 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:08:18 AM Ignore cdrrod Report Abuse Truth on the horizon! Here, here!
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:4,591 Points:896,830 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 10:03:38 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse First off, stop all the pork projects, like Rieds billions of Obama dollar highway from LA to Las Vegas for gamblers. Next tax EV wealthy owners so that they pay " their fair share " as the " great One " like to say. Let California pay for their own hi-speed rail system, instead of political favors for votes.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,114 Points:2,369,420 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:51:45 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse this is all obama's fault
Point__man Champion Author Raleigh Posts:4,325 Points:875,745 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:29:40 AM Ignore Point__man Report Abuse Anyone remember what it was like driving cross country before the Feds evened out funding of the Interstates especially in states with no income taxes like Tennessee ? Wasn't safe to say the least. We do need change and need it ASAP. I'm not so sure this is the change we need though ;)
Skunk63 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,551 Points:556,525 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:24:58 AM Ignore Skunk63 Report Abuse Return the money and responsibility to the states.
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,135 Points:1,295,195 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:23:48 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse Opinion - but he makes a good argument
bsnort Veteran Author Huntsville Posts:417 Points:231,965 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:14:20 AM Ignore bsnort Report Abuse it would be great if the federal govt. would start eliminating inefficient federal programs (is there an efficient one) and transfer programs back to the states - i would much rather send my my tax dollars to my state (reduce federal taxes/increase state taxes) unfortunately with politicians, it will probably never happen.
car253 Champion Author Ohio Posts:6,283 Points:1,466,670 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:09:33 AM Ignore car253 Report Abuse Like most Federal programs this one does not work well.
BurntOrange Champion Author Austin Posts:8,708 Points:1,579,930 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:01:15 AM Ignore BurntOrange Report Abuse News? No, opinion.
Seamus4513 Champion Author Orange County Posts:2,568 Points:383,655 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 24, 2013 9:00:36 AM Ignore Seamus4513 Report Abuse Good idea