J
JakTheHammer
Guest
Yup........If Democrats are Elected, you better EXPECT Whopping Gas
Tax Increases........Right now, the Bush Administration has Resisted
Gas Tax Increases, but as this article says, PLANS ARE BEING
MADE........So Hold On To Your WALLETS...........Donchaknow.........
"Transit Panel Urges Gas Tax Increase
Jan 15, 3:36 AM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A special commission is urging the government to
raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over
five years as part of a sweeping overhaul designed to ease traffic
congestion and repair the nation's decaying bridges and roads.
The two-year study being released Tuesday by the National Surface
Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, the first to
recommend broad changes after the devastating bridge collapse in
Minneapolis last August, warns that urgent action is needed to avoid
future disasters.
Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for
unleaded gasoline would be increased annually for five years - by
anywhere from 5 cents to 8 cents each year - and then indexed to
inflation afterward to help fix the infrastructure, expand public
transit and highways as well as broaden railway and rural access,
according to persons with direct knowledge of the report, who spoke to
The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the report is
not yet public.
The report also calls for rebuilding and expanding the national rail
network to meet a growing demand for alternatives to congested
highways.
Continuing to apply patches to the nation's aging infrastructure is
"no longer acceptable," and without dramatic changes, "the nation's
system of transportation will further deteriorate," according to the
report, portions of which were read to the AP.
But the 12-member commission's proposals, which are expected to cost
$225 billion each year for the next 50 years, face internal division.
The commission's chairwoman, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, and
two other members oppose gas tax increases and were issuing a
dissenting opinion to the report calling instead for private-sector
investment and tolls.
The gas tax has not been increased since 1993, and recent efforts by
Congress to raise it have faltered over the objections of the Bush
administration. The tax increase being proposed is designed to take
effect in 2009, after President Bush leaves office.
The commission was formed by Congress in 2005 to study the future
needs of the nation's surface transportation system, which includes
roads, mass-transit systems, ports and rail lines - as well to
recommend funding options.
The report comes as state governments and several business groups,
including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of
Manufacturers, are calling on the federal government to raise gas
taxes to pay for substantial transportation improvements. The
Minneapolis bridge collapse, which killed 13 people and injured about
100, spotlighted the decaying infrastructure and drew new calls for
additional spending.
The Bush administration has said that raising taxes won't cut
congestion and creates additional risks for congressional pork, such
as Alaska's infamous multimillion dollar "Bridge to Nowhere," which
has been scuttled.
In its report, the commission unanimously agreed that measures of
accountability were needed to keep watch over state and federal
spending.
Besides Peters, the two commissioners opposing a tax increase are
Maria Cino, Peters' former deputy who is organizing the 2008
Republican National Convention, and Rick Geddes, a Cornell University
professor who has served as a senior staff economist in the Bush
administration on the President's Council of Economic Advisers."
Tax Increases........Right now, the Bush Administration has Resisted
Gas Tax Increases, but as this article says, PLANS ARE BEING
MADE........So Hold On To Your WALLETS...........Donchaknow.........
"Transit Panel Urges Gas Tax Increase
Jan 15, 3:36 AM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A special commission is urging the government to
raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over
five years as part of a sweeping overhaul designed to ease traffic
congestion and repair the nation's decaying bridges and roads.
The two-year study being released Tuesday by the National Surface
Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, the first to
recommend broad changes after the devastating bridge collapse in
Minneapolis last August, warns that urgent action is needed to avoid
future disasters.
Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for
unleaded gasoline would be increased annually for five years - by
anywhere from 5 cents to 8 cents each year - and then indexed to
inflation afterward to help fix the infrastructure, expand public
transit and highways as well as broaden railway and rural access,
according to persons with direct knowledge of the report, who spoke to
The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the report is
not yet public.
The report also calls for rebuilding and expanding the national rail
network to meet a growing demand for alternatives to congested
highways.
Continuing to apply patches to the nation's aging infrastructure is
"no longer acceptable," and without dramatic changes, "the nation's
system of transportation will further deteriorate," according to the
report, portions of which were read to the AP.
But the 12-member commission's proposals, which are expected to cost
$225 billion each year for the next 50 years, face internal division.
The commission's chairwoman, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, and
two other members oppose gas tax increases and were issuing a
dissenting opinion to the report calling instead for private-sector
investment and tolls.
The gas tax has not been increased since 1993, and recent efforts by
Congress to raise it have faltered over the objections of the Bush
administration. The tax increase being proposed is designed to take
effect in 2009, after President Bush leaves office.
The commission was formed by Congress in 2005 to study the future
needs of the nation's surface transportation system, which includes
roads, mass-transit systems, ports and rail lines - as well to
recommend funding options.
The report comes as state governments and several business groups,
including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of
Manufacturers, are calling on the federal government to raise gas
taxes to pay for substantial transportation improvements. The
Minneapolis bridge collapse, which killed 13 people and injured about
100, spotlighted the decaying infrastructure and drew new calls for
additional spending.
The Bush administration has said that raising taxes won't cut
congestion and creates additional risks for congressional pork, such
as Alaska's infamous multimillion dollar "Bridge to Nowhere," which
has been scuttled.
In its report, the commission unanimously agreed that measures of
accountability were needed to keep watch over state and federal
spending.
Besides Peters, the two commissioners opposing a tax increase are
Maria Cino, Peters' former deputy who is organizing the 2008
Republican National Convention, and Rick Geddes, a Cornell University
professor who has served as a senior staff economist in the Bush
administration on the President's Council of Economic Advisers."
