Foxx's First Goal: Find the Money!

According to Eno Center for Transportation President Joshua L. Schank, "funding for transportation – or lack thereof – will dominate most of Foxx's early tenure at the DOT."

Here are the stark revenue facts:

• "The 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax only brings in about $35 billion per year to the federal coffers."
• Revenue is decreasing due to increased fuel efficiency, more plug-in electric vehicles on the road that use little or no fuel, thus pay no fuel tax, and decreased driving due largely to demographic reasons.
• Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) "contained approximately $54 billion (sic) spending for road and transit projects by relying on a patchwork of money taken from other areas of the federal budget" to make up for the gas tax shortfall.
• "However, lawmakers in both parties have sworn that there will not be a repeat occurrence in 2014 when Foxx will be trying to steer a transportation bill through Congress.” 

Schank adds, “He’s coming into a situation with no revenue and the prospect [for increased funding] is bleak. Without new revenue, there’s limited influence you can have.”

Clearly, Foxx has his work cut out for him, but judging from his first blog on Fast Lane on July 2 after his swearing-in ceremony, he appears up for it.