Published: 09/17/2007
Long anticipated report to recommend higher gas tax, highway fees By Steve Leblanc Associated Press
BOSTON - A long-anticipated report on the state's transportation woes is recommending a hefty increase in the gas tax and new highway user fees as part of the solution to a gaping $15 to $19 billion hole in the state's transportation spending over the next 20 years.
The recommendations - including the 11.5 cent per gallon increase in the gas tax - are designed in part to spark a debate on the best way for the state to bring in the extra money needed to maintain its aging network of roads, bridges and rails.
Critics say that before the state even considers a gas tax hike - or a proposed 5 cent per mile highway user fee - it must first approve a series of non-tax changes also suggested in the report, including rolling back the MBTA's pension plan, which gives employees full pension benefits, including free health insurance, after 23 years of service.
"I think any taxpayer would be a fool to allow a tax increase without the reforms because that would be a guarantee that the reforms are never done," said Barbara Anderson of the anti-tax group Citizens for Limited Taxation.
Under the plan, set to be unveiled today, the gas tax would increase from 23.5 cents to 35 cents a gallon, two sources familiar with the report told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the report had not been officially released.
The last time the tax was increased was in 1990.
The increase is expected to generate billions, but the increase could drop off as more drivers purchase hybrid cars or other energy efficient vehicles.
Rather than propose new toll booths, the report by the Transportation Finance Commission recommends the state impose highway user fees - charging motorists five cents for ever mile they travel on highways in Massachusetts. The fee would require the state to track how often a car is on a highway and for what distance and then bill the driver directly - using technology similar to the transponders that allow cars to travel along the Massachusetts Turnpike without stopping to pay tolls.
Other proposals in the plan include:
* Studying the privatization of some roads and bridges;
* Eliminating paid police details on road and bridge construction projects, replacing them with civilian flagmen;
* Scaling back the MBTA's pension benefits;
* Transferring the Tobin Bridge from the Massachusetts Port Authority to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
Many of the proposals are likely to cause a backlash.
Police unions have fought off every past attempt to eliminate the paid police details - a coveted perk. MBTA unions have put up an equally stiff fight at the mention of pension changes - even as the cash-strapped agency has been forced to raise fares as it struggles to keep afloat.
Massport has also resisted proposals to strip its control of the Tobin, which could force the agency to increase fees at Logan International Airport.
The report is guaranteed to cause a stir on Beacon Hill. Gov. Deval Patrick says he's skeptical about toll hikes but Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen has acknowledged the need for new transportation revenue and said the administration is exploring whether to hand over some roads and bridges to private companies.
"I expect we will have a robust dialogue over the next six months," Cohen said after a recent Statehouse hearing on the state's transportation woes.
Before even talking about raising the gas tax or imposing new highway fees, officials should prove they've wrung as much money as possible out of reforms first, Anderson said.
"First do a bill with all the reforms and then let's come back and talk about the gas tax increase," she said. "There are a lot of reforms mentioned in the report."
Posted by: CJIS
19 Billion dollars in the hole thats it? The Entire U.S as a nation. is only 6.9 Trillion in the hole last I read
Posted by: badgebunny
Sorry...but 5 cents per mile for using the highway? Are these people for real? Here's an idea...why don't we make the company(s) that f***** up the Big Dig and created all the other problems during the project, pay the money back to the state, that it spent to fix the mess they (the company(s)) made to begin with. At this rate all the money I make will be going to pay for travel (between gas, tolls, and now this dumb idea of 5 cents per mile)...you got to be kidding me!!!
DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!!!
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