http://www.businessweek.com/ap...cialnews/D96FDJV00.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/us/21mass.html?_r=1
The Massachusetts gasoline tax would rise by 19 cents a gallon -- to a nation-leading 42.5 cents -- under a transportation system overhaul Gov. Deval Patrick was scheduled to unveil Friday, top aides said.
Combined with the 18.4-cent federal gas tax, the change would leave Bay State drivers paying 60.9 cents in fuel surcharges on every gallon of gas they buy. It could also stave off a proposed doubling of Massachusetts Turnpike tolls slated to take place this spring, assuming the Legislature acts quickly to approve it.
Nonetheless, the proposed increase is sharply less than the 27-cent-per-gallon increase the Patrick administration was considering last week. That hike was included in a draft of the transportation announcement obtained by The Associated Press, and was the centerpiece for a variety of planning throughout the document.
The draft included a specific plan for distributing the money, how the boosted gas tax would compare to other states and an analysis noting the extra cost would equate to about $120 per year, less than two small Dunkin' Donut coffees per week.
The 27-cent increase would have raised an estimated $702 million in annual revenue; the 19-cent hike would generate $494 million. With the smaller tax increase, Patrick will have less money to do what he says the state needs: make long-term, structural changes to the transportation system and set the state on a course to long-term transportation financing stability.
And that raises the specter of future gasoline tax increases.
Patrick was scheduled to make his announcement during a 1 p.m. news conference at the state Transportation Building. The setting was symbolic one: It not only is the Turnpike's headquarters, but it also is home to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Executive Office of Transportation.
Patrick's plan calls for eliminating divisions between state transportation agencies and pooling their resources where possible, said the aides, who demanded anonymity in advance of the governor's formal announcement.
Patrick said earlier this week that he would not seek a tax increase without getting legislative support for overhauling the state's transportation bureaucracy. Such reforms -- including abolishing the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, round out the proposal he was unveiling.
The draft plan obtained by the AP said Patrick was considering streamlining operations into Highway, Rail and Transit, Aviation and Ports, and Registry of Motor Vehicles divisions.
Patrick told a Chamber of Commerce audience this week that resolving the state's problems long-term would require either a toll increase or a gas tax hike. A show of hands among the 600 at the speech revealed widespread support for the gas tax hike as the most equitable means for spreading transportation costs.
The governor also said he was considering Registry fee changes to promote drivership of fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as a "Vehicle Miles Traveled" system to eventually replace the gas tax.
Under such systems, one of which has already been tested in Oregon, drivers are charged precisely for the miles they drive -- regardless of the fuel efficiency of their vehicle. It allows a state to continue raising the money for road and bridge repairs while efficiency reduces the demand for gasoline.
Concerns such a system could allow "Big Brother" tracking of vehicle movements were addressed in Oregon by using a passive -- rather than active -- GPS device to measure mileage. It could only tell when miles were incurred within the Oregon borders, not the specific roads on which they were traveled.
The bulk of the Pike's $2.2 billion is from the Big Dig, while the MBTA's $5 billion debt is from long-term costs. A panel also said state roads and bridges will need $20 billion in repairs during the next 20 years.
The Turnpike's board of directors is scheduled to discuss a backup toll-increase plan at its meeting next Tuesday.
The agenda calls for further debate about a two-step increase proposed last month by board member Michael Angelini.
Under his plan, the authority would impose a 25 cent increase at the Allston-Brighton and Weston booths just inside the Route 128 beltway, raising the cash toll to $1.50, while making a $2 increase at the Ted Williams and Sumner tunnels at Logan International Airport. That would raise the toll from $3.50 to $5.50.
Angelini proposed making those rates effective at the end of March, but repealing them if the Legislature passed a gas tax increase before that date.
Angelini also outlined a second phase of increases if the gas tax is not increased: He would increase tolls to $2 at Allston-Brighton and Weston, and $7 at the harbor tunnels -- the level that touched off public outrage and sparked discussion of a heightened gasoline tax.
Patrick has appointed the majority of the Turnpike's board of directors, which historically has given a governor a measure of control over their actions
Awesome, simply awesome....really a no win for everyone, either the people taking the pike take it in the rear to cover our amazing debt or everyone takes it just a little bit more.
Clearly another indicator that the dems really don't know what they are doing.
Also cannot wait until they announce that they have to revamp all of the road systems given that the big dig simply pushed traffic further out from the city and has made things in many ways much worse than before.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/us/21mass.html?_r=1
The Massachusetts gasoline tax would rise by 19 cents a gallon -- to a nation-leading 42.5 cents -- under a transportation system overhaul Gov. Deval Patrick was scheduled to unveil Friday, top aides said.
Combined with the 18.4-cent federal gas tax, the change would leave Bay State drivers paying 60.9 cents in fuel surcharges on every gallon of gas they buy. It could also stave off a proposed doubling of Massachusetts Turnpike tolls slated to take place this spring, assuming the Legislature acts quickly to approve it.
Nonetheless, the proposed increase is sharply less than the 27-cent-per-gallon increase the Patrick administration was considering last week. That hike was included in a draft of the transportation announcement obtained by The Associated Press, and was the centerpiece for a variety of planning throughout the document.
The draft included a specific plan for distributing the money, how the boosted gas tax would compare to other states and an analysis noting the extra cost would equate to about $120 per year, less than two small Dunkin' Donut coffees per week.
The 27-cent increase would have raised an estimated $702 million in annual revenue; the 19-cent hike would generate $494 million. With the smaller tax increase, Patrick will have less money to do what he says the state needs: make long-term, structural changes to the transportation system and set the state on a course to long-term transportation financing stability.
And that raises the specter of future gasoline tax increases.
Patrick was scheduled to make his announcement during a 1 p.m. news conference at the state Transportation Building. The setting was symbolic one: It not only is the Turnpike's headquarters, but it also is home to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Executive Office of Transportation.
Patrick's plan calls for eliminating divisions between state transportation agencies and pooling their resources where possible, said the aides, who demanded anonymity in advance of the governor's formal announcement.
Patrick said earlier this week that he would not seek a tax increase without getting legislative support for overhauling the state's transportation bureaucracy. Such reforms -- including abolishing the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, round out the proposal he was unveiling.
The draft plan obtained by the AP said Patrick was considering streamlining operations into Highway, Rail and Transit, Aviation and Ports, and Registry of Motor Vehicles divisions.
Patrick told a Chamber of Commerce audience this week that resolving the state's problems long-term would require either a toll increase or a gas tax hike. A show of hands among the 600 at the speech revealed widespread support for the gas tax hike as the most equitable means for spreading transportation costs.
The governor also said he was considering Registry fee changes to promote drivership of fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as a "Vehicle Miles Traveled" system to eventually replace the gas tax.
Under such systems, one of which has already been tested in Oregon, drivers are charged precisely for the miles they drive -- regardless of the fuel efficiency of their vehicle. It allows a state to continue raising the money for road and bridge repairs while efficiency reduces the demand for gasoline.
Concerns such a system could allow "Big Brother" tracking of vehicle movements were addressed in Oregon by using a passive -- rather than active -- GPS device to measure mileage. It could only tell when miles were incurred within the Oregon borders, not the specific roads on which they were traveled.
The bulk of the Pike's $2.2 billion is from the Big Dig, while the MBTA's $5 billion debt is from long-term costs. A panel also said state roads and bridges will need $20 billion in repairs during the next 20 years.
The Turnpike's board of directors is scheduled to discuss a backup toll-increase plan at its meeting next Tuesday.
The agenda calls for further debate about a two-step increase proposed last month by board member Michael Angelini.
Under his plan, the authority would impose a 25 cent increase at the Allston-Brighton and Weston booths just inside the Route 128 beltway, raising the cash toll to $1.50, while making a $2 increase at the Ted Williams and Sumner tunnels at Logan International Airport. That would raise the toll from $3.50 to $5.50.
Angelini proposed making those rates effective at the end of March, but repealing them if the Legislature passed a gas tax increase before that date.
Angelini also outlined a second phase of increases if the gas tax is not increased: He would increase tolls to $2 at Allston-Brighton and Weston, and $7 at the harbor tunnels -- the level that touched off public outrage and sparked discussion of a heightened gasoline tax.
Patrick has appointed the majority of the Turnpike's board of directors, which historically has given a governor a measure of control over their actions
Awesome, simply awesome....really a no win for everyone, either the people taking the pike take it in the rear to cover our amazing debt or everyone takes it just a little bit more.
Clearly another indicator that the dems really don't know what they are doing.
Also cannot wait until they announce that they have to revamp all of the road systems given that the big dig simply pushed traffic further out from the city and has made things in many ways much worse than before.
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