Coalition gathering support of increased fees for transportation
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A coalition that includes highway construction interests, chambers of commerce, freight haulers, AAA and AARP is trying to build support for fee and revenue increases proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission.
The panel's recommendations, which including uncapping a tax on wholesale gasoline and raising various motor vehicle fees to catch them up with inflation, are expected to be on the Legislature's menu this fall.
As lawmakers reconvene, the highway construction industry is financing a series of TV and radio commercials touting the importance of safe roads and bridges and is also urging people to sign an online petition supporting the funding measures at www.BetterSaferRoads.com.
"We're pointing out the importance of a safe and convenient transportation system to Pennsylvania's quality of life. This is not a fear campaign. It's a hope campaign," said Robert Latham, executive vice president of Associated Pennsylvania Constructors. He was one of 40 who served on the governor's commission.
"It probably won't surprise anyone that the construction industry supports the commission's funding recommendations," he said. "What's noteworthy is that the industry is stepping up in a big way to marshal public support for this funding plan. We believe now is the time to finally address this issue in a meaningful way."
The governor's commission proposed ways to generate an additional $2.7 billion annually for the state's deteriorating roads, bridges and public transit systems, including raising license and registration fees to adjust for inflation that has occurred since they last went up in the 1990s.
The panel also proposed a five-year phasing out of the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax, which is paid by fuel distributors. Currently, the tax applies only to a maximum of $1.25 per gallon of the wholesale price. Without the cap, the current per-gallon tax would be 13.8 cents higher for gasoline and 18.7 cents higher for diesel.
Mr. Latham said surveys have shown that a majority of citizens are willing to pay modest fee increases to upgrade the transportation network.
"An impressive majority -- 58 percent -- has expressed willingness to invest at least $10 per month. The [governor's commission] funding recommendations would cost a typical motorist just 70 cents per week in the first year, growing to $2.54 per week in Year 5, which works out to almost exactly $10 per month," he said.
First Published September 20, 2011 12:00 am
