The transportation collection problem is bad, yes…
The 21st Century Transportation Committee discussed on Thursday a host of tax increases that could be used to address a projected multibillion road-funding shortfall. Brad Wilson, chairman of the committee, said all tax options — including charging drivers for how much they travel — are on the table as the panel looks at ways to fill a projected $64 billion shortfall between the state’s transportation revenues and needs over the next 22 years. "Sticking our head in the sand under the banner of ‘No new taxes’ or ‘No new fees’ is, I think, both irresponsible and a formula for failure," Wilson said after the meeting. Under one proposal, motorists would be taxed a penny for every mile over the state’s average that they drive. Wilson acknowledged the panel has yet to determine how the state would monitor travel or charge motorists. Also being studied is a plan to transform roadways in dire need of maintenance, such as Interstate 95, into toll routes.
But revenue collection problems pale next to the wasteful Equity Distribution Formula. How does Brad Wilson think we’ve gotten to this place? We’ve wasted money. If we continue to waste money, it doesn’t matter if we collect more of it. Brad Wilson and the 21st Century Committee needs to find the guts to tell the General Assembly that Equity Formula is a dinosaur that should be scrapped and replaced with an allocation strategy based on vehicle usage, maintenance and safety.
-Max Borders
Well, the $3 billion the GA has taken out of the HTF and used to expand social programs over the past 2 decades hasn’t helped either.