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Author	Topic: Time to tweak gas taxes? States weigh options	Post a Reply Back to Topics

BurntOrange Champion Author Austin Posts:8,877 Points:1,609,740 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:12:35 AM Ignore BurntOrange Report Abuse A great tax debate is breaking out in state capitals from Vermont to Texas: How do we maintain and expand our vital-but-aging networks of roads, bridges and urban transit systems? For nearly a century, the nation has funded projects primarily with revenue from gasoline taxes. But the gasoline tax has lost its value over the past decade. Changes in fuel-saving automotive technology and driving habits are resulting in less revenue to repair crumbling bridges, repave highways or upgrade buses and trains. During the same time, many states have been loath to raise the tax. Sixteen states haven't raised gasoline taxes in 20 years or more, according to the policy think tank Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. So year after year, states have seen money for transportation slow ... Visit USA Today for full article

BurntOrange

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Austin

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Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:12:35 AM

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A great tax debate is breaking out in state capitals from Vermont to Texas: How do we maintain and expand our vital-but-aging networks of roads, bridges and urban transit systems?

For nearly a century, the nation has funded projects primarily with revenue from gasoline taxes. But the gasoline tax has lost its value over the past decade. Changes in fuel-saving automotive technology and driving habits are resulting in less revenue to repair crumbling bridges, repave highways or upgrade buses and trains.

During the same time, many states have been loath to raise the tax. Sixteen states haven't raised gasoline taxes in 20 years or more, according to the policy think tank Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

So year after year, states have seen money for transportation slow ...
Visit USA Today for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

bston Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:1,955 Points:669,240 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 2:53:39 PM Ignore bston Report Abuse Many roads are in sad shape.
blupupher Champion Author Houston Posts:3,690 Points:774,770 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 8:04:35 AM Ignore blupupher Report Abuse it needs to be reworked on a state and federal level.
dodsworth All-Star Author Salem Posts:916 Points:322,655 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 7:40:58 PM Ignore dodsworth Report Abuse Once upon a time, someone told me paying my bills should be a time of thanksgiving because I actually have the money to do it. Yes. That's right. Similarly, although I don't like "pork," waste, and redirecting funds for something other than its original stated purpose, I am willing to pay for the infrastructures and services that are so important in my life.
CityCouponer Champion Author New Orleans Posts:1,073 Points:228,830 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 4:03:08 PM Ignore CityCouponer Report Abuse Hmmm...
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,832 Points:565,745 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 3:10:24 PM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse Maybe less spending? Instead of increased taxes?
WalkingWV Champion Author West Virginia Posts:3,754 Points:788,060 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 3:05:28 PM Ignore WalkingWV Report Abuse Never takes them very long when it comes to their money.
BIGALRPH Veteran Author St. Louis Posts:418 Points:167,240 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 2:47:14 PM Ignore BIGALRPH Report Abuse Because we are driving more fuel efficient autos, now the States want taxes increased? States are even considering charging a road tax fee based on miles traveled using GPS units. The better we save today will only allow someone else to empty our pockets later!
HorizonChaser Champion Author Montgomery Posts:2,115 Points:481,160 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 2:41:52 PM Ignore HorizonChaser Report Abuse If they'd allocate it as they should, then there wouldn't be this problem.
VomVom Champion Author Calgary Posts:3,863 Points:1,647,725 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 2:06:30 PM Ignore VomVom Report Abuse This is universal everywhere. Politicians have been re-directing gasoline tax funds to the general account and other politically motivated purposes. We all deserve the politicians we voted in. So pay up. Just like the FRAM commercial; pay me now or pay me later. But paying later is going to be a lot more expensive. Without proper roads and infrastructure, we can't survive in N America.
schatzila Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:5,084 Points:1,043,345 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 11:58:21 AM Ignore schatzila Report Abuse Join the crowd.
mkohly Veteran Author Chicago Posts:284 Points:27,365 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 11:56:58 AM Ignore mkohly Report Abuse As cars get lighter (and therefore more efficient), don't they do LESS damage than the heavier vehicles they replace? Doesn't this mean the need to do repairs should slow down? Bicycles also use the infrastructure...., do they pay anything to maintain it, or is their impact too small to be included?
mkohly Veteran Author Chicago Posts:284 Points:27,365 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 11:51:05 AM Ignore mkohly Report Abuse This is how government spending has gotten out of hand: "The Legislature is considering a bill that would rededicate all motor vehicle taxes for transportation. Currently, the money also goes to education and other non-infrastructure expenditures." [Edited by: mkohly at 1/25/2013 11:51:32 AM EST]
TripleHs Champion Author Austin Posts:3,435 Points:940,090 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 11:29:20 AM Ignore TripleHs Report Abuse make them more fair
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,336 Points:1,324,945 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 10:53:15 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse NC has been on auto increase since the 90's Buckeye
YumaFellow Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,426 Points:649,320 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 10:33:28 AM Ignore YumaFellow Report Abuse What is this garbage about it being the fault of welfare and aliens! That is just stupid talk. Infrastructure, as I have said often on this site, is expensive and we will need to pay the costs now or later. That means higher taxes on both users and the general population--which benefits from having a solid transportation network.
MrDeath666 Champion Author Houston Posts:1,760 Points:270,915 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 9:35:51 AM Ignore MrDeath666 Report Abuse The real truth is more money is being wasted on illegal aliens & wefare.
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,298 Points:898,730 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 9:05:05 AM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse If tweaking means reducing the fuel taxes, by all means... have at it as long as it does not mean the per mile tax replaces it. [Edited by: doeslayersr at 1/25/2013 9:06:28 AM EST]
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:4,767 Points:924,100 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 9:03:49 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse You can thank the democratic party in Maine for the outrageous gas tax since THEY tied the tax to automatically raise every year. Too bad they waist the revenue on welfare programs that buy them more votes, instead of repairing the roads and bridges. Hey, that is what " The One " does too, Chicago style !!
ErnieK9LO Champion Author North Dakota Posts:2,811 Points:568,530 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 9:03:48 AM Ignore ErnieK9LO Report Abuse How much more can we take. Raxes are way too high.
mainenightowl All-Star Author Maine Posts:992 Points:332,460 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:55:05 AM Ignore mainenightowl Report Abuse According to this article Maine has one of the most expensive gas taxes in the country & our tax was hiked just a year ago. Maybe we should get rid of (or at least cut) our gas tax & maybe gas here would actually be halfway affordable (more like $3.00-$3.20/gal). We already pay tolls on 109 miles of highway operated by the Maine Turnpike Authority to maintain that road. My biggest gripe is that we pay such a high gas tax (31.5 cents/gal) and our roads are still in deplorable condition.
Buck_on_Bass Champion Author Tennessee Posts:7,704 Points:1,480,985 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:49:24 AM Ignore Buck_on_Bass Report Abuse Taxes should have increased over the years as the the costs of maintenance and construction had risen over the years. This would address many issues but we have become a society that is unwilling to pay for services and programs that we benefit from.
Skunk63 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,687 Points:585,000 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:44:18 AM Ignore Skunk63 Report Abuse Tax something more and people will buy less. Is that the answer?
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:35,301 Points:2,398,095 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:42:09 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse cuts would be much better for us
lcleveland Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,756 Points:676,005 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:28:58 AM Ignore lcleveland Report Abuse of course more taxes
BigRedVTX Champion Author Georgia Posts:1,010 Points:529,780 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:24:59 AM Ignore BigRedVTX Report Abuse As with most institutions of political action, State Governments run their states better (for the most part) than the Federal Government runs them all. Virginia has a good idea, but it lacks enthusiasm in the houses for the most part. And the push to increase mileage and decrease emissions has pushed these taxes to the limit when utilizing them for repairs and modifications for the roads.
skempton Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,270 Points:863,185 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:18:52 AM Ignore skempton Report Abuse Should have done it when gas was less than $1 per gallon.
roadrunnerMO Champion Author Kansas Posts:8,547 Points:1,727,165 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:17:18 AM Ignore roadrunnerMO Report Abuse Certainly labor to fix highways is no lower so states will have to raise taxes a little at a time.
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,686 Points:1,197,290 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 25, 2013 8:16:53 AM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse New technology (like 100+ MPG cars) will mean gas tax laws will be tweaked.