Regional transportation taxes proposed
Share with others:
Would you be willing to pay a regional tax to fund transportation projects?
HARRISBURG -- A study released today adds a new wrinkle to a solution for the state's worsening transportation funding crisis -- creating regional taxes to pay for road, bridge and mass transit improvements in selected areas of the state.
The Pennsylvania Economy League study, which interviewed 1,500 Pennsylvanians since March, said that while new statewide funding sources are definitely needed to improve transportation, regional funds could also be part of the mix.
The study didn't offer specifics on what taxes should be raised, but it could mean that several southwestern counties around Pittsburgh -- or several southeastern counties near Philadelphia -- would band together as a region.
If the General Assembly and governor approved, such a multi-county region would be given the power to, for example, increase the gasoline tax in just those counties to raise money to fix roads, bridges and mass transit systems in just those counties.
State officials should consider "permitting regions to explore alternative financing mechanisms and regional taxing authority to address unique regional (transportation) needs,'' said the Economy League study.
The study was done over the past six months and paid for by a variety of groups, including the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, an arm of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, a road/bridge building group.
The transportation funding crisis is expected to step up a notch in mid-November, when a task force named by Gov. Ed Rendell releases its year-long study, which could propose higher taxes and fees, or perhaps public-private partnerships, as a way to generate new funds to repair aging state roads and bridges and fund deficit-ridden transit agencies.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
First Published October 11, 2006 12:00 am
