Posted on 12/06/2017 1:08:56 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
An increase in federal taxes on fuel would significantly help fund repairs for highway infrastructure along Interstate 95 in Newark, N.J., Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D) said amid Congress’ consideration of tax reform legislation.
“Improving I-95 will boost the economy by shortening commutes, making cargo transport more efficient and improving highway safety,” Payne said Nov. 30, adding the I-95 stretch, or the Turnpike as it is known in the state, has been underfunded due to deficits in the Highway Trust Fund over the years.
The intricate network of ports, railways, highways and an international airport in the state’s largest city has not experienced significant upgrades in recent years, he said.
A report by the American Society of Civil Engineers found that one in 11 bridges in the Garden State are classified as structurally deficient, meaning they are deteriorating or severely damaged. The state is home to 6,657 bridges. Road congestion in cities such as Newark hinder freight mobility along key ports. The prominent Port Newark Container Terminal, located in that city, handles about 700,000 containers per year. The region also is home to the Port Elizabeth Terminal Corp.
In 2016, New Jersey residents acknowledged a need for repairing their infrastructure when they approved raising the state’s fuel taxes. The Garden State is among the two dozen states to recently raise fuel taxes in the absence of an increase at the federal level.
“Republicans ran on a promise to rebuild America’s infrastructure, but the GOP tax scam working its way through Congress does nothing to fix the gas tax and rebuild transportation infrastructure. Raising the federal gas tax to reflect today’s economy is necessary to keep Americans safe and our economy competitive,” the congressman said.
Speaking to Transport Topics, Payne added, “America’s economy depends on reliable and safe transportation. Rather than attempting to dismantle American health care, Republicans in Congress should focus their efforts on rebuilding our nation’s roads and bridges.”
Prior to advancing their tax bill, senators rejected a motion that would have utilized repatriated revenue for infrastructure. Funding advocates called the rejection a missed opportunity to boost the Highway Trust Fund during the tax bill’s consideration. The Transportation Construction Coalition, which includes the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, encouraged industry players as well as infrastructure investment advocates to urge that lawmakers approve a long-term fix to the trust fund.
Payne’s support of this traditional source of funding for transportation projects put him in the company of a very small group of congressional lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware and Oregon’s Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer, also Democrats, advocate for raising federal fuel taxes.
Blumenauer said it was a “tragic mistake” for the Trump administration to hold off proceeding with an infrastructure funding measure until tax reform is finalized. “We have an opportunity to come together to raise the fuel tax, index the fuel tax, and I hope replace it with a long-term solution that is sustainable,” Blumenauer told trucking executives in Florida on Oct. 23.
Earlier indications by the White House and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was that they would unveil an infrastructure funding proposal after tax policy is overhauled. Recent reports, however, have signaled President Donald Trump might turn his focus to health care after tax reform.
For more than two decades, the federal highway account has relied on a 24.4-cents-per-gallon diesel tax and a 18.4-cents-per-gallon gas tax. Advances in vehicle fuel efficiency and a rejection by millennials of traditional driving habits are contributing to the decline in fuel revenue for the trust fund.
When Trump campaigned for president, he pledged to deliver to Congress during his first 100 days in office a $1 trillion, 10-year infrastructure funding proposal. Brief details of the plan that were unveiled in the president’s fiscal 2018 budget request would ask for $200 billion in federal spending to drum up private sector investments of $800 billion.
Payne’s not the brightest bulb on the string of lights....he once proposed
a bill to delay issuing drivers licenses to ute’s who steal cars for two years....cops in Newark at the time said the perps were walking the streets before they were finished with
the paperwork...
Corzine did that, not Christie
Audit their books. They have been robbing their highway fund to pay for general spending for decades.
as long as it takes 5 people to hold a ‘Slow” sign at a roadwork site, not a penny more, in any state
replaced dad, just like Conyers will. Reps the AAs of Newark and Jersey City
That’s right...Payne Sr. kicked off
several tears ago.
DemocRATS for TAX INCREAES. ITS WHAT THEY DO.
Elections have consequences Sometimes!
And be sure to check out the info on reimbursable expenses. Wonder how much Payne get/puts in for... ?
So much for public service, eh?
I think it interesting that democrats don’t care about increase in gas tax but causing holy hell over a cap on property taxes. Weird party.
“Raising the federal gas tax to reflect today’s economy is necessary to keep Americans safe and our economy competitive,” the congressman said.”
And then the congressman will cry to the media that Republicans are raising taxes. Sorry congressman, deal with it. I believe the saying is, “we won, you lost.”
“Any underfunding of I-95 came about because Governor Fat@$$ diverted about $1 billion of the toll revenues from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to other transportation projects.”
My first thought too. Once a toll road is built, the tolls collected are almost always WAY MORE than the cost of operation, including maintenance...and the extra money is always diverted. In Houston, with the county-run toll roads, they’re handing Houston over a half BILLION dollars to play with, because of their huge revenue.
At the very least, the politicians can BE HONEST enough with the voters to say that other, non-tolled, roads need help, if that is the case for raising the gas tax (which I do support universally provided the money isn’t diverted - as the alternative is toll roads).
IBTV!!!
(the guy who wants to hand over our freeways to private companies for monopoly-protected tolling of drivers)
Reducing the number of residents and businesses, by economic out-migration from NY and NJ would do just as much to relieve congestion on I-95 in NJ, and not cost an additional dime in federal fuel taxes. That out-migration I’ll be happy to help with in my own way. Of course the new governor of NJ is already helping with that movement, with his plans for more NJ taxes.
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