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doxydad

(1,363 posts) Fri Jun 20, 2014, 06:29 AM Jun 2014

A bipartisan push for higher gasoline taxes

Two senators urge Congress to have the "courage" to hike federal fuel taxes by 12 cents to save the nation's transportation system

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) unveiled their proposal on Wednesday.

It calls for increasing federal gasoline and diesel taxes by 12 cents, via a six-cent hike in each of the next two years (they're currently set at 18.4 cents and 24.4 cents, respectively, where they've been since 1993). Those increases would be offset by tax cuts, or perhaps by permanently extending some other provisions in the bipartisan "tax extenders" bill.

In a joint statement, the senators noted the federal HFT, which supplies more than half of the nation's budget for transportation projects, will begin to run out of cash by mid-July.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-bipartisan-push-for-higher-gasoline-taxes/

If this will save highway deaths from occurring, I'll GLADLY cough up more money. |

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A bipartisan push for higher gasoline taxes (Original Post) doxydad Jun 2014 OP

If they succeed in getting the tax, there is no assurance they will spend it on roads liberal N proud Jun 2014 #1

liberal N proud

(60,334 posts)

1. If they succeed in getting the tax, there is no assurance they will spend it on roads

Reply to doxydad (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 07:58 AM

Jun 2014

Myth 2: Proceeds from the federal gas tax are used to build and maintain the interstate highway system.

Fact 2: That was the promise made to taxpayers in 1956. Today, however, at least 25 percent of federal gas tax funds are diverted to non-highway uses including maintaining sidewalks, funding bike paths, and creating scenic trails

http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/17/the-facts-about-transportation

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