Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Taxes or Tolls
HB 1964 by Rep. Dukes will be heard at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing taking place this afternoon. The bill would allow certain counties to levy a local gas tax at a rate of three to ten cents per gallon, and the proceeds of the tax would be used by the Regional Mobility Authority (RMA) for transportation purposes.
The bill gives the County Commissioners’ Court the ability to hold elections in which voters could vote whether to opt for a local gas tax or tolls from toll roads that would go to funding transportation projects. According to one of Rep. Duke’s staffers, the bill only allows for an election- it would not apply the tax itself.
HB 1964 is the result of substantial and unremitting public opposition to proposed expansion of toll roads in Texas. Resistance to tolls spawned groups like the Austin Toll Party who have rallied against the tolling of existing roads.
It will be interesting to watch this bill because up until now, the Regional Mobility Authority has had little accountability to public opinion regarding the use of tax payer dollars for the funding of transportation projects. This bill would essentially give voters more control over local projects.
The Austin Toll Party backs this piece of legislation. Toll Party member Sal Costello says they support this bill because it allows the community to have a debate regarding this issue.
Ironically, Rep. Mike Krusee carried a similar bill in the 2003 Legislature. (Rep. Krusee authored HB 3588, the Omnibus Transportation bill forcing toll roads on local highways across Texas) The bill died. Several legislators have said a local-option gas tax has never become law because the state Transportation Department does not want to relinquish control of those gas-tax dollars. But for now, we can only wait and see.
The bill gives the County Commissioners’ Court the ability to hold elections in which voters could vote whether to opt for a local gas tax or tolls from toll roads that would go to funding transportation projects. According to one of Rep. Duke’s staffers, the bill only allows for an election- it would not apply the tax itself.
HB 1964 is the result of substantial and unremitting public opposition to proposed expansion of toll roads in Texas. Resistance to tolls spawned groups like the Austin Toll Party who have rallied against the tolling of existing roads.
It will be interesting to watch this bill because up until now, the Regional Mobility Authority has had little accountability to public opinion regarding the use of tax payer dollars for the funding of transportation projects. This bill would essentially give voters more control over local projects.
The Austin Toll Party backs this piece of legislation. Toll Party member Sal Costello says they support this bill because it allows the community to have a debate regarding this issue.
Ironically, Rep. Mike Krusee carried a similar bill in the 2003 Legislature. (Rep. Krusee authored HB 3588, the Omnibus Transportation bill forcing toll roads on local highways across Texas) The bill died. Several legislators have said a local-option gas tax has never become law because the state Transportation Department does not want to relinquish control of those gas-tax dollars. But for now, we can only wait and see.