At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee meeting on Feb. 12, leaders from big labor, big business, AASHTO, and AMTRAK testified to the importance of keeping the Highway Trust Fund solvent. The first two specified increasing the gas tax.
"U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that increasing the gas tax would be "the simplest, most straight-forward, and most effective way to generate enough revenue" to cover an estimated $20 billion per year shortfall in transportation funding," wrote Keith Laing, The Hill's veteran transportation reporter.
The Chamber leader received back up from an unlikely source on Wednesday from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who told the panel, "The gas tax was last raised in 1993 when it represented 17 percent of the price of fuel; it now represents about five percent of the cost of fuel."
He agreed with Donohue in that boosting the federal gas tax, unchanged for two decades, was the way to go. Both agreed that a "user fee" approach made the most sense, as did committee chair, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), because of the "certainty" it provides.
Additional witnesses included Mike Hancock, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) who warned of "serious economic disruptions as early as this summer if USDOT delays reimbursements to the states for projects already completed." MAP-21, the current, two-year transportation bill expires on Sept. 31, 2014.
Hancock's testimony (PDF) suggested three options to deal with the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF):
1. Provide additional General Fund transfers to the HTF in order to maintain the current level of highway and transit investment and meet prior-year obligations.
2. Provide additional receipts to the HTF by adjusting existing revenue mechanisms or implementing new sources of revenue.
3. Virtually eliminate new federal highway and transit obligations in FY 2015.
Finally, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman joined in. "We need a balanced Transportation Trust Fund that can provide investment in any surface mode-- including Highway, Transit, and Rail (both passenger and freight)," he said.
However, Laing notes that "Amtrak traditionally receives about $1 billion per year in funding from Congress, but the money is usually drawn from other places than the Highway Trust Fund."
FULL STORY: Business, labor groups push for gas tax hike

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?

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.
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