More than 50 NATSO members made their annual pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with lawmakers about the critically important issues of highway funding and interstate tolling.
NATSO delivered the message to Congress that the fuel tax remains the most effective, efficient way to fund infrastructure, but the federal government must address the shortage of fuel tax revenues in the next highway transportation reauthorization. NATSO members also asked Congress to repeal the Interstate Rehabilitation and Reconstruction program that allows states to seek permission from the Federal Highway Administration to toll existing interstates.
The event kicked-off on Tuesday, when luncheon speaker Jonathan Peters, Professor of Finance with the City University of New York Graduate School and The College of Staten Island, discussed the inefficiency of highway tolling. Between 12 percent and 25 percent of all tolling revenue collected is spent on supporting toll collection at toll booths and other administrative fees, Peters said. Administering the federal motor fuel taxes, by comparison, costs less than 1 percent of the fees collected, he said.
Later that evening, NATSO hosted its annual pie reception, serving nearly 250 pies to legislators and their staff. This reception is well known in the nation's Capitol and carries NATSO's name to all 535 members of Congress.
On Wednesday, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) spoke to members at the annual congressional breakfast.
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This article originally ran in NATSO News Weekly (NNW), NATSO's member only weekly electronic newsletter. NNW is packed with the latest updates on government and business issues affecting the truckstop and travel plaza industry. If you aren't reading NNW, you are missing out. Not a member? Join today or submit a request to receive additional information. If you are a member and not receiving NNW, submit a request to be added to the email list. |
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