GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE: WITH A GAS TAX INCREASE OFF THE TABLE FOR GOOD, A TRICKY PATH LIES AHEAD FOR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

摘要

Competing funding proposals from President Obama and Congress plus a looming July deadline for the highway trust fund (HTF) to run out of money have shed light on one thing, a federal gas tax increase is off the table and where funding will come from remains in question. From a collection and enforcement standpoint, increasing the gas tax would be the easiest and quickest fix to the problem. The funds are easily assessable and some even argue that as gas prices rise back up, the timing could not be better for an increase. TIA disagrees and has remained opposed to a gas tax increase in the past 33 funding extensions. We recognize that even if the gas tax were increased drastically, it would still not account for the shortfall in revenue.