We also need the gas tax to encourage people to bicycle and to fund design work so that we can unlock federal dollars for more bikeways.
Posted on 05/25/2009 6:36:12 AM PDT by Zakeet
Despite the Massachusetts Senate's passage of a tax package last week, it's clear that funds allocated for transportation - principally from the sales tax - are simply not enough. Moreover, with the rejection of 19- and 11-cent gas tax increase options, what seems to be absent from the debate is the compelling environmental argument for a hike in the gas tax.
Looking at the evidence for climate change - and its dire consequences - it's clear that we need to get serious about weaning ourselves from our CO2-emitting, petroleum-based economy. Already in evidence is faster-than-expected melting of the polar ice cap, an incipient rise in sea levels, and increasingly destructive storms, droughts, and heat waves, with more serious consequences likely to follow. Meanwhile we're spending vast treasures buying oil from largely hostile nations.
What we need are policies that send clear market signals encouraging change. The governor and business groups demonstrated real leadership in proposing 19- and 25-cent gas tax increases, respectively. Even tax-averse New Hampshire is considering a 15-cent increase. And in April, the Globe itself endorsed removing the sales tax exemption for gas, which equates to about a dime a gallon. At a minimum, we need the 19-cent increase and the $500 million it would raise for the transportation system.
However, we need the increased gas tax not just to provide a dedicated source of funding to fix crumbling infrastructure, not just to create jobs, and not just to rescue our public transportation authority. What we need it for above all else is to encourage the move toward more efficient cars, hybrids, and plug-in electrics. And we need the gas tax hike, not just to prevent layoffs and service cutbacks, but to make public transportation and trains more attractive relative to driving, and to increase transit availability.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
We also need the gas tax to encourage people to bicycle and to fund design work so that we can unlock federal dollars for more bikeways.
What Global Warming Church does this guy pastor? This column has every liberal cliche put forth in the last fifteen years.
I would wager than the author owns no car and depends on public transportation.
More Democrats wanting to raise taxes? Damn, that’s some breaking news.
Raise ‘em all.
Raise every tax.
Hell, put us all in re-education camps right now and get it over with.
Pull quote in the first sentence: [the money you fork over is] “simply not enough.” Now that’s finally telling like it is. For libs and government crooks, the sheeple never fork over enough.
The author lives in Cambridge, Mass. which means he takes the "T" to work at the Globe (Green Line to the Red Line, for those of you who know Boston). I'm shocked, I tells ya....
The American economy will not flouish as long as democrats have power and destroy cities,states and America in their arrogant stupidity.
Does Massachusetts (and Boston) still feel that they have any hold on intelligence anymore?
Good grief - they keep electing Kennedy (the felon), Kerry (the consummate fool and liar), and Frank (one of the most repulsive persons in the senate - and that’s hard to do). The state is in hock almost as much as California.
And to top it all, Harvard has proven that their law school will admit and graduate total buffoons. Heck, the buffoonest of them all got to be editor of the Law Review.
Yup. The Austin City Clowncil is getting ready to approve a cool $250M to fund improvements for the bicyclists in and around the city. These "improvements" generally piss everyone off except the cyclists, with the lane conversions. Maybe they'll also start removing some of the stop signs around town since none of the local cyclists pay attention to them anyway.
Grunebaum is German for tree hugging moron.
“Looking at the evidence for climate change - and its dire consequences - it’s clear that we need to get serious about weaning ourselves from our CO2-emitting, petroleum-based economy.”
I am not getting it. CO2, is it only what we exhale or does it also come as a by-product of gasoline and coal refining as well as auto exhaust? It seems from everything I read CO2 is what is released by burning crap and this is what is gnawing at the left.
Whereas widespread prosperity across all class levels allows everyone the luxury of considering the environment.
“The Austin City Clowncil is getting ready to approve a cool $250M to fund improvements for the bicyclists in and around the city.”
They should take the 250 mllion and buy everyone a Segway. Last time I was in Austin I almost got run over by a couple of them.
I believe we used to call a naive sort such as this a “Dork” back in our wild and crazy youth.
Never new what that meant, but the word sounded like something one wouldn’t want to be.
No matter the duress, the Boston Globe observes its solemn commitment to remain completely out of touch with reality.
Huh? At least one of us here doesn't know what "clear market signals" normally means!
Chicago ruined many good streets and increased congestion by adding bike lanes. You rarely see bikers on them, you know cold, snow, rain, plus it is a long way to ride and dangerous on a major street.
Hope you guys can fight it down.
What’s wrong with Texas?
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