Tolls represent a regressive double tax that disproportionately hurts lower income drivers and will create significant disruptions for local communities, a representative of the Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates said in a recent interview with National Public Radio (NPR).
01-22-2018 Infrastructure is poised to become a top item on the 2018 legislative policy agenda with the White House announcing that it will issue guidelines for its long-awaited infrastructure plan before President Trump’s State of the Union address later this month.
01-03-2018 Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Dec. 5 that the Trump Administration’s massive infrastructure package won’t arrive until next year, possibly after a health care and welfare overhaul. The timeline projection marks yet another delay for the massive infrastructure plan that President Trump had promised as one of his priorities for the first 100 days in office.
12-05-2017 President Donald Trump reiterated Nov. 20 that a massive infrastructure plan will be the Administration’s next priority once Congress finishes tax reform.
11-20-2017 Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said that he won’t rule out raising the motor fuels tax as a means of increasing infrastructure revenues. Senator Thune’s comments came just days after White House officials told a group of moderate House lawmakers that they are considering a gas tax hike to help offset President Trump’s infrastructure proposal.
11-01-2017 Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao reaffirmed that DOT still expects private financing to play a role in the Administration’s infrastructure plan despite recent criticism of public-private partnerships by President Trump. Secretary Chao also said that work on an infrastructure package will not begin until after Congress works on tax reform, squashing suggestions that a tax code overhaul could be used to pay for an infrastructure package.
10-24-2017 Sen. Mitch McConnell told reporters July 18 that the Senate will move on to comprehensive tax reform and infrastructure following the collapse of the GOP’s repeal-and-replace health care plan.
07-19-2017 Indiana’s General Assembly currently is debating whether to toll existing interstates in the Hoosier State. Under House Bill 1002, funding for Indiana’s transportation infrastructure would be paid through increased gas taxes and annual fees, as well as the creation of new toll roads. The bill passed the House weeks ago, and is now before the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee.
03-17-2017 For the second time in as many weeks, a key congressional committee held a hearing to consider funding options for improving the nation’s infrastructure. Throughout the hearing, senators emphasized the need to find direct funding opportunities — such as raising the motor fuel excise tax — because private financing does not provide a complete solution, especially in rural communities.
02-09-2017 Senate Democrats on Jan. 24 introduced a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, laying down a marker for President Donald Trump, who pledged to introduce a massive infrastructure package during his first 100 days in office.
01-30-2017 Elaine Chao, President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation, said the Trump Administration would leverage private investment along with direct federal spending to address the nation’s infrastructure needs.
01-12-2017