State Gas Tax

Louisville Bridge

The Critical Role of Down-Ballot Races in State Transportation Funding

The overwhelming majority of states that increased gas taxes last year were Republican-controlled. In states where the legislature is split, it's more difficult to approve transportation funding legislation. Down-ballot races may prove decisive.

October 26, 2016 - Governing

Betsy Ross Bridge

New Jersey Gas Tax Standoff Leaves Construction Workers in the Lurch

The plight of laid-off laborers who had been repaving a New Jersey bridge illustrates that people suffer as well as infrastructure and mobility when transportation funding bills fail to pass.

August 17, 2016 - The North Jersey Record

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

Gov. Baker Looks Toward California and Oregon While Vetoing Mileage Fee Pilot Program

A bill to provide $750 million in road and bridge financing was signed by Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday after stripping a provision to apply for a federal grant to conduct a pilot program similar to the California Road Charge Pilot.

August 12, 2016 - The Republican

Effort Underway to Halt Pennsylvania's Gas Tax Increase

Pennsylvania has the nation's highest state gas and diesel taxes, 51.4 cents per gallon and 65.1 cents per gallon, respectively. Both are scheduled to increase up to 10 cents on Jan 1. A bill has been introduced to halt all future fuel tax increases.

July 26, 2016 - Land Line

Five State Gas Tax Changes Tomorrow

On July 1, two states will increase gas taxes, one will decrease its tax, and two will be adjusted downwards per state legislation, according to Carl Davis, research director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP).

June 30, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

Bakersfield and Fresno Sign

California Road Charge Pilot Launches July 1; Gas Tax Increase Still Needed

Two notable transportation developments occur in California on July 1. First, a pilot road charge program begins—5,000 motorists will be charged by the mile driven. Second, the gas tax drops by 2.2 cents. An analysis by ITEP looks at both.

June 24, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

New Jersey

New Jersey Governor: Reduce General Fund Spending to Pay for Roads

Rather than supporting an increase in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees like many states are doing to fund transportation spending, Gov. Chris Christie asks the legislature to find funds by making cuts within the general fund.

June 5, 2016 - Politico New Jersey

Gas Station 7-Eleven

Let Smokers Pay for Roads

Missouri has come up with a unique way to pay for roads, and it's even a user fee, though it bears no direct relation to road users other than for those driving to the store to buy their cigarettes. So much for using the tax to address public health.

May 26, 2016 - Missourinet

EmX Bus

Oregon Governor Kicks Off State Gas Tax Campaign in Eugene's Bus Rapid Transit

A transportation funding proposal including a gas tax will be prepared for the 2017 legislative session. The media event in the EmX bus highlighted the need to have continuous, dedicated lanes for the Eugene-Springfield bus rapid transit system.

April 27, 2016 - The Register-Guard

Gas Pump

New Jersey Democrats Propose Hiking Gas Tax in Tradeoff for Estate Tax Reduction

The estate tax reduction, plus increasing the retirement income tax exemption, would be traded for an unspecified hike in the gas tax to keep the Transportation Trust Fund solvent. But the $400 million in tax cuts won't satisfy Gov. Chris Christie.

April 22, 2016 - NJ.com

Governor Pete Ricketts

Governor Who Vetoed Gas Tax Increase Happy to Use New Revenue for Road Construction

Among the ten state legislatures, mostly Republican controlled, which passed gas tax increases last year, the one that stood out the most was Nebraska's because it had to override Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) veto of the six-cent gas tax hike bill.

April 21, 2016 - The Omaha World-Herald

Ten States Could Hike Gas Taxes this Year

With gas prices the lowest since 2009, ten state legislatures and governors consider raising state gas taxes, though many are accompanied by fiscally questionable tax shifts. Some tried and failed last year. All of the proposed increases are modest.

February 24, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

California's Road Usage Charge Pilot Program to Begin on July 1

The California Road Charge Pilot will be the nation's second road usage charge program. Unlike OReGO, which launched last July, it is a pilot program that will last nine months, but like the Oregon program, it is restricted to 5,000 volunteers.

January 30, 2016 - Streetsblog California

California's Deferred Road and Bridge Maintenance Balloons to $77 Billion

In his 2015 state of the state address, Gov. Jerry Brown announced his intention to tackle the Golden State's formidable $59 billion road and bridge deficit. A year later, that staggering figure jumped 30 percent to $77 billion.

January 24, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

$85 Million Transportation Bond Measure on the Ballot in Maine

A week before a Nov. 3 Maine transportation referendum on a *general fund bond issue to address roads and bridges, TRIP released a report showing that over a third of the state's bridges "are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete."

November 1, 2015 - Kennebec Journal

Massachusetts Could Be Next State to Adopt a Road Usage Charge

In the wake of voter rejection of automatic indexing of the state gas tax, Massachusetts legislators may do away with the tax altogether. They are considering a trial of the Oregon model of road usage charge.

September 23, 2015 - Eagle-Tribune

Unlikely Sector Supports Increased California Fuel Taxes

Anti-tax, business groups are backing plans to fill the road budget shortfall by increasing fuel taxes and registration fees, but they want general fund dollars diverted to the road budget as well.

August 25, 2015 - Sacramento Business Journal

Missouri

Missouri Shows How Not to Expand Highways, Though Unintentionally

The Missouri Department of Transportation will adhere strictly to a "fix it" (as opposed to "fix-it-first") policy for the next five years, because there are no funds for roadway expansion.

July 9, 2015 - KRCG

Christie's Lack of Infrastructure Funding Costing Him Business Support at Home

Bridges are failing in the Garden State for lack of funds to repair them, No, they are not collapsing, but they are shutting down. Many, including the business community, blame the governor for failing to act.

June 1, 2015 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Why Raise Gas Taxes When Surplus General Funds are Available to Fix Roads?

In Michigan, after voters defeated a sales tax hike that would have triggered a gas tax hike, General Fund revenues are dedicated to roads. South Carolina legislators, eying a gas tax hike, may direct surplus General Fund revenues to roads instead.

May 25, 2015 - The Detroit News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.