Oregon's Blumenauer proposes nearly doubling federal gasoline tax

[unhappycamper]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/12/04/210512/oregons-blumenauer-proposes-nearly.html



Oregon's Blumenauer proposes nearly doubling federal gasoline tax
By Curtis Tate
McClatchy Interactive
December 4, 2013

Flanked by organized labor, business and transportation leaders Wednesday, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., proposed nearly doubling the federal gasoline tax to address the country's growing backlog of infrastructure repair and maintenance.

Congress hasn't raised the 18.4-cents-per-gallon tax since 1993, and didn't index it to inflation, so it buys considerably less than it did 20 years ago. And if Congress doesn't do something, the highway trust fund will run dry by the end of next year.

Blumenauer's bill would phase in a 15-cent increase over three years, to 33.4 cents.

~snip~

The tax generates about $35 billion in annual revenue, well short of the $54 billion in federal highway and transit funds the states have been receiving. On average, states rely on the federal funds for half their transportation needs.