Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R- Rochester) hopes that the state legislature will pursue a long-term transportation funding solution in the 2018 legislative session. In September, lawmakers passed a budget that included a $400 million transportation bond as well as new electric and hybrid vehicle fees, well short of what the state needs to close its transportation resources shortfall. Read More>>
Transportation funding advocates in Colorado are urging the state legislature to invest additional funding into the state’s transportation network in light of a predicted surplus in the state’s general fund. Read More>>
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) proposed on Dec. 18 higher regional taxes on real estate sales, hotel stays and wholesale gasoline in northern Virginia as a way to provide needed revenue for the area’s transit system, which serves the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. The new taxes would generate $65 million annually, and would be combined with existing revenue to meet Virginia’s obligation of $150 million annually to the transit agency. Maryland and DC would be required to contribute their own revenue to fulfill the remaining $500 million annual requirement to maintain and improve the aging system. Read More>>
Several states are already preparing transportation funding legislation to be introduced in the 2018 legislative session, including a measure in Kentucky to charge a fee for electric and hybrid motor vehicles and a bill in Missouri to increase the state gas tax by 10 cents-per-gallon. Subscribe to TranspoAdvocates to receive the latest information about state and local transportation funding developments, and view the State Legislation page to see what states have approved transportation funding measures since 2013.