Green Taxes

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Tell it to the unemployed and those who keep losing jobs as the Obama Administration continues to lie to the public about job formation.

Political advocacy rule number 5 - When all you do is point fingers, assign blame, and intentionally ignore context.. and never offer constructive solutions, you are exposed as a partisan.

This is fun...I see a book coming out of this....Political Advocacy for Dummies.

I'll send you an autographed copy.

My apologies to the community for the distraction...even if some found it marginally entertaining and others who are probably bored with the same old crap.

Now back to "green" taxes discussion.

[TheMercenary]

You mean more about the gas tax? Nobody wants it, no one will support more taxes on gas at a federal level.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

You mean more about the gas tax? Nobody wants it, no one will support more taxes on gas at a federal level.

Nobody wants it? No one will support it? So now you speak for everyone, huh?

Two commissions appointed by the last Republican majority Congress want it.

The American Trucking Association supports it.

The American Highway Users Alliance supports it.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials support it.

The American Society of Civil Engineers support it.

And that fact is...we need it.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

And that fact is...we need it.

And you and your Party is not going to get it. Unless that Nazi Pelosi slips it in sight unseen.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

You mean more about the gas tax? Nobody wants it, no one will support more taxes on gas at a federal level.

Actually, while I would not support a mileage tax, I would support a raise in the federal tax on gasoline. My state seems to spend more on highway maintenance and construction than it does on anything else. A boost in federal assistance would free up state monies to go to other things like education and certain health care programs.

BTW, its OK to be partisan, Merc. We all know you are, anyway. You protest too much.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Actually, while I would not support a mileage tax, I would support a raise in the federal tax on gasoline. My state seems to spend more on highway maintenance and construction than it does on anything else. A boost in federal assistance would free up state monies to go to other things like education and certain health care programs.

BTW, its OK to be partisan, Merc. We all know you are, anyway. You protest too much.

Your state increase in Tax would help your state. A federal tax would only go to the Interstate. It would do little to repair the nations ailing roads and bridges, most of which are state owned and maintained.

I am more anti-partisan which includes the current party in power.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

....A federal tax would only go to the Interstate. It would do little to repair the nations ailing roads and bridges, most of which are state owned and maintained.....

Not quite.

The Highway Trust Fund taxes go to the National Highway System...not just the Interstate highways, but numerous others highways, roads and bridges in rural and urban areas.

The National Highway System, while only accounting for a small percentage of total roads, carries most of the traffic that is critical to the economy.

Most of the federal gas tax revenue is dedicated to the Interstate, but $billions go to the states for maintenance of state-administered roads in the National Highway System.

[SamIam]

States receives federal funding for the construction and maintenance of highways, emergency road repairs, safety projects, and other programs.

In addition to regular federal highway funding, states also anticipate receiving transportation funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This includes grants to rural transit programs. So federal funding is not all about interstates.

[TheMercenary]

It makes reimbursements, states have to pony up the money. States have to ask for it in the form of vouchers which are submitted to the feds. It no way covers the small state roads and bridges.

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06572t.pdf

Most of it goes to Federal Highways, some of it to mass transit. But by and large road projects are funded in each state by a majority of State funds, not federal dollars, unless it is a Federal highway.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

It makes reimbursements, states have to pony up the money. States have to ask for it in the form of vouchers which are submitted to the feds. It no way covers the small state roads and bridges.

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06572t.pdf

Most of it goes to Federal Highways, some of it to mass transit. But by and large road projects are funded in each state by a majority of State funds, not federal dollars, unless it is a Federal highway.

Nope.

The Highway Trust Fund revenue is dedicated to the Interstate Highway System and "certain other roads" (and mass transit).

Those "certain other roads" being those roads/highways (and bridges) in the National Highway System. The Interstate makes up about 30% of the NHS...the bulk of the System are roads/highways (many two lane highways) administered by the states and eligible for federal funding from the Trust Fund.

Overall, the NHS include only about 4 percent of the nation's roads, but they carry more than 40 percent of all highway traffic, 75 percent of heavy truck traffic, and 90 percent of tourist traffic.....ie these are critical to the nation's economy.

[TheMercenary]

Sorry your numbers are not supported by the facts. It is estimated that a states road income comes from 55% HTF and Gas tax. The gas tax includes that which is administered by states.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

... It is estimated that a states road income comes from 55% HTF and Gas tax. The gas tax includes that which is administered by states.

The 55% of HTF pays for the 4% (approx) of the roads (NHS, including the Interstate)...and the state gas tax pays for the other 96 percent of state roads.

It is those 4% of the roads/highways in the NHS that are most critical to the economy and thus are included in the HTF.

When the HTF is depleted those state-administered roads in the NHS suffer the consequences.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

The 55% of HTF pays for the 4% (approx) of the roads (NHS, including the Interstate)...and the state gas tax pays for the other 96 percent of state roads.

That is what I said. The majority of state roads and bridges are paid for by the state.

[TheMercenary]

How about that, the GAO has states that the money was also diverted for other costs and spending as well.

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09729r.pdf