"What program would you cut to continue the same level of transportation spending without raising the gas tax, e.g. cancer treatment programs, Head Start?," asks Streetsblog USA's Tanya Snyder after reading Sen. Bob Corker's (R-Tenn.) recommendation.
Sen. Bob Corker, who sits on the powerful Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, one of three committees responsible for measures to be included in the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act, sent a letter [PDF] on May 14 to the heads of the other two Senate committees: Environment and Public Works Committee and the Finance Committee, which at first glance might seem that he advocated increasing the federal gas tax to provide the necessary funds to fill the Highway Trust Fund shortfall, the difference between spending and gas tax receipts.
In the last few years, Congress has allowed the [Highway Trust Fund] to become one of the largest budget gimmicks in the federal government. Spending from the HTF has far outpaced [gas tax] revenues in recent years, taking us away from our traditional user fee, pay-as-you-go transportation financing model. Instead of enacting a permanent solution to this problem, we have transferred more than $50 billion of general fund money [$54 billion according to this NPR report] to maintain funding levels.
Corker's press release, which includes his letter, is even more direct, calling for "reestablishing (the) self-sustaining highway program" in the title.
He gets it! If you stopped reading there, you'd be very pleased that a senator is saying what we all know, that the "permanent solution", at least for this go-around of the transportation reauthorization act, is to bring the trust fund into solvency sticking to the "traditional user fee, pay-as-you-go transportation financing model."
Snyder takes it from here:
Then he lays out two options for solving the problem: “(1) increasing dedicated HTF user fees to match spending levels, or (2) reducing HTF spending to match dedicated HTF revenues.” He quickly dispenses with the first: “It is my belief that reducing spending to current HTF revenue levels would be damaging to our nation’s infrastructure, competitiveness, and economic growth.” Good show, Senator! So that leaves us with increasing the user fee, correct?
Not so fast. “Another alternative that would at least make Congress accountable for the increased spending is to offset HTF spending that exceeds revenues by reducing other government spending by an equal amount,” he wrote.
The "third strategy", off-setting the general fund transfers [see his press release], does nothing to restore the user-pay system that the Highway Trust Fund is based on. Snyder suggests that the Corker strategy would result in "lawmakers end(ing) up cutting cancer treatment programs and Head Start and meals on wheels. All to make sure drivers don’t have to pay their own way."
Seems like another gimmick to me.
FULL STORY: Sen. Bob Corker Sets Up for Gas Tax Increase, Yanks the Football
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
The Paradox of American Housing
How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.