Alabama, Arkansas and Ohio this year raised their state gas tax to provide urgently needed revenue for roads, bridges, and other transportation investment. It wasn’t easy. Each state faced its own challenges, including strong anti-tax resistance, competition for funding from other state government agencies, deep political partisanship, and divisions between urban and rural constituents.
On July 17 in Washington, D.C., four transportation funding advocates will share their insights on how they overcame these challenges and got their state to raise new revenue. The speakers are:
- Tom Layfield, executive director, Alabama Road Builders Association;
- Drew Harrell, executive director, Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure;
- Joey Dean, executive vice president, AGC Arkansas; and
- Chris Runyan, president, Ohio Contractors Association.
The 6th Annual “National Workshop for State & Local Transportation Advocates,” a signature program of ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ (TIAC), is a day-long event featuring transportation investment advocates, lawmakers, and industry professionals discussing new developments, campaign strategies, funding methods, and more. This year’s Workshop will include:
- Insights on state transportation funding trends and initiatives, plus a preview of 2019 state and local ballot measures;
- Updates on efforts to permanently fix the federal Highway Trust Fund revenue stream;
- Analysis of how states are adapting to revenue shortfalls caused by increased vehicle fuel efficiency;
- Discussions on the benefits and challenges of tolling;
- Strategies for passing legislative and ballot measures; and
- Advice from state lawmakers on succeeding at the statehouse, the governor’s office, and on the grassroots campaign trail.
The annual in-person meeting of the Transportation Investment Advocates Council is 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16. The meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about state transportation funding resources.
The Workshop is being held in conjunction with ARTBA’s 31st annual “Public-Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference.”