As the funding aquifers for road maintenance continues to fall before the efficiency-fueled gas tax drought, federal and state governments are left to ponder how best to make up for the shortfall.
Autoblog reports the easiest solution between the two parties is to raise gas taxes, though doing so could be construed as political suicide at best. Thus, other solutions have come to the surface, including per-mile charges, increased sales taxes, fees for hybrids and EVs, tolling and closing tax loopholes. Without a way to recharge the aquifers, the CAFE drought would drain anywhere from $57 billion to $65 billion between 2012 and 2025; the Beltway Aquifer alone is facing complete drainage by this August.
Whatever the solution, there will be those opposed to boosting funding. In one example, Massachusetts made its first gasoline tax increase — 24 cents — in 20 years, but could see a rollback at the polls come Election Day. Meanwhile, California's own increase proposal may not even be enacted as the Fed Up at the Pump coalition attempts to mobilize the populace to convince the government not go through with the increase next January, believing the tax will not go into greenhouse-gas reduction programs as well as harm lower-income citizens.
from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA
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