Raise The Gas Tax AND Switch To VMT Fee, Says Commission

The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission advises Congress that the U.S. is in an infrastructure crisis, and that they must raise the gas excise tax by ten cents now and begin the switch to a VMT fee.

March 2, 2009, 12pm PST | Irvin Dawid

"A commission established by Congress to study options for financing the nation's roads and bridges recommended on Thursday raising the federal gas tax by 10 cents a gallon.

The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission cited a "crisis" of neglect for infrastructure, and also called for an eventual switch to a tax based on miles driven, rather than gasoline consumed.

Raising the federal gas tax, now 18.4 cents a gallon, is so politically tricky that the idea has gone nowhere in 16 years.

The report also called for raising the federal diesel tax, now 24.4 cents a gallon, by 15 cents."

From WSJ:Obama Urged to Raise Gas Taxes to Save Roads
"In a report issued (Feb. 26), the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission said that raising gasoline taxes and taxing miles driven instead of gallons are the only viable ways to get the tattered U.S. road and transit system back on track. The Obama administration just shot down both proposals.

The recommendation was two years in the making-the commission's mix of transport industry veterans, elected officials and think-tankers has been trying to divine how to raise the extra money needed to maintain and improve roads, buses, and trains."

Thanks to Gladwyn d'Souza

Full Story:

Panel Suggests Higher Gas Tax

Published on Thursday, February 26, 2009 in The New York Times: Energy & Environment