Two articles from non-profit organizations - a think tank and an advocacy group, seemingly arrive at the same conclusion: the future of the state gas tax is grim due to lack of political will to raise it. However, some states are bucking the trend.
Both Daniel C. Vock, staff writer for the Daily News Service of the Pew Center on the States and David Goldberg, communications director for Transportation for America explain the difficulty in raising state gas taxes and, paradoxically, the desire by governors to raise additional revenue to meet transportation needs.
"At bottom, the recent move away from gas taxes as the go-to source of transportation funds is a nod to new realities: Their earning power is shrinking every year, and car-dependent voters will not stomach increases commensurate with their desire for a robust transportation network", writes Goldberg.
Both writers focus on Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's plan as it is the most watched and the most extreme because unlike proposals in Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Texas and Indiana that find alternative revenue options that would supplement the existing gas excise tax, McDonnell proposes to do away with the state gas tax. The aforementioned states seek variations of income and general sales tax increases/decreases and using surplus funds.
However, for those who want to see the nation invest in its infrastructure, the revenue source may be less important than the investment itself.
“All of these governors are getting creative,” says Marcia Hale, president of Building America’s Future, a group that supports more spending on infrastructure. “They think, at the moment, that (the gas tax) is a political non-starter and they need to find ways to do things.”
However, Vock's more comprehensive list of state transportation funding options contains what one might not expect to see - states proposing gas tax increases.
The Wyoming House passed a 10-cent hike, which would be the state’s first fuel-tax hike since 1998. A competing proposal in the Senate to use severance tax money has stalled. In New Hampshire, Democrats in the state House are weighing a proposal to hike the gas tax by 12 cents over three years.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, a Republican, is widely expected to announce a hike on the taxes gas stations pay for fuel, as the cornerstone of his $1.9 billion transportation funding package. Pennsylvanians are evenly split on the idea, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, but four out of five predict they will pay more for gasoline if it passes.
And while Ohio Governor John Kasich is not seeking a gas tax increase, he does propose a user fee increase - to "increase tolls on the Ohio Turnpike and use the new revenues to back bonds, which would pay for improvements chiefly in northern Ohio where the toll road runs."
The year is young. It may be too soon to give-up on state gas taxes. One thing is clear though: new transportation revenue strategies, be they user or non-user based, will be coming from the states, not the federal government.
FULL STORY: Gas Tax Loses Favor as Governors Look for New Transportation Money

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie