Page 34 - ATR 1 2014 web

the start of the fiscal year. The original highway trust fund simply will not have long-term U.S. highway bill.
amount, $10.4 billion authorized by that money anymore because states will “We don’t want a two-year bill, we
MAP-21, was reduced by sequestration. be over-obligated on contracts with the want a five- or six-year bill,” Shuster
The DOT says the surface trans- federal government,” Kidd said. “When said at a Bloomberg government infra-
portation program is continuing to the work stops, the jobs go away. It will structure event in Washington.
outlay more than it is taking in, and be a bad situation.” A mileage tax may rub people
as of January the account balance had Some of the options available to the wrong way, Kidd said, because of
dropped by $3.4 billion since the trans- lawmakers include raising the fuel tax, the means needed to track individual
fer. a mileage tax, higher taxes on energy vehicle use.
Money is still coming into the exploration or bringing back corporate “I think even though we have the
fund, thanks to fuel tax revenues, Kidd profits earned overseas. technology, most people don’t want a
said. But it is not coming in quickly House Transportation and transponder on their car so the federal
enough to offset the cost of projects Infrastructure Committee Chairman government can keep up with where
already on the books. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) has gone on record they are,” he said.
“Many of the jobs already con- saying he favors user fees that include Others public officials, like former
tracted based on money flow into the a vehicle mileage tax that would fund a transportation secretary Ray LaHood
and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, have
called for raising the gas tax by 10-cents
a gallon and indexing it to inflation.
go AheAd expressed doubt Congress can find con-
Lawmakers in both parties have

sensus on tax-financing issues and pass
anything long-term, especially with an
And StAre election year underway and a recent
track record that includes a government
shutdown over the budget and spend-
ing.
“Based on the performance of
the Senate over the last three years
a six-year highway bill is a pretty big
We knoW Award-Winning Regional Magazine of the Arkansas Trucking Association Vol. 19 • Issue 1 2014 • $4.95 expectation,” said Sen. Roy Blount, a
Republican from Missouri, in January.
“I doubt Congress has the political
We look fortitude to increase fuel taxes,” Kidd
said. “Nobody is going to run a cam-
paign based on voting in favor of a fuel
good. tax.” With the outlook uncertain at best,

it is up to the states to do what they
can for their highways. In this arena,
Arkansas has proved itself able and will-
Malea Hare ing, and the 2012 sales tax vote seemed
Mastering All Regulations
to fly in the face of conventional, anti-
tax wisdom.
“Arkansas is an anomaly but in
a good way,” Kidd said. “Last election
cycle we approved a half-cent sales
CSA UpdAte • HigHwAy FUnding • AFFordAble CAre ACt
tax for a roads program that shocked
and surprised many political observes
for more information, call Jennifer Matthews Kidd, around the country.”
publisher, at 501-907-6776 or Voters passed Issue No. 1 (now
e-mail jennifer@matthewspublishing.com. Amendment 91 to the state’s constitu-
tion) in November of 2012 and it took
effect in July. Over a 10-year period it

34 arKansas trucKing report | issue 1 2014