Maryland: A Case Study in the Lack of Political Will to Fund Transportation
As national policymakers hunt for a sustainable way to raise more money for a more efficient, less polluting transportation system, raising the federal gas tax is often at the top of their list -- after all, the tax has remained stagnant since 1993, despite signs that its usefulness is eroding as American drivers choose more fuel-efficient cars.
November 10, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Bush-era Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, a fan of national transport targets but not a transit booster, sings the praises of Virginia Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell’s infrastructure platform (Nat’l Review) Greenpeace is taking on Newsweek for its business ties to Big Oil’s lobbying group (GreenWire) Did House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) promise Rep. Anh Cao … Continued
November 10, 2009
The Wall Street Transportation Tax: Predictably Unpopular On Wall Street
As Congress mulls over solutions to the nation's transportation funding gap, with an eye to passing new infrastructure legislation to reverse the rising unemployment rate, Rep. Pete DeFazio's (D-OR) proposed tax on oil futures is picking up new fans in high places.
November 9, 2009
GOP Chief Steele on Infrastructure Spending: ‘That’s Not Creating Jobs!’
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele appeared on ABC News yesterday, and Daily Kos' Jed Lewison caught him making a pretty strange argument against federal spending to improve the nation's infrastructure.
November 9, 2009
New Report Maps the Gap Between Pedestrian Risks and Federal Safety Aid
If the equivalent of one jumbo jet full of Americans died every month, the resulting public outcry would be deafening. Or would it?
November 9, 2009
Today’s Headlines
House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) backs new push for infrastructure spending to surmount high unemployment rates (The Hill) The Obama administration’s high-speed rail plans are sparking a rift between traditional transport groups and those who fear the usual suspects are taking a go-slow approach (GreenWire) Is newly minted rail kingpin Warren Buffett this … Continued
November 9, 2009
Senate’s Next Climate Hearing to Feature Big Oil-Backed Critics
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) may have voted against the Senate environment committee's climate bill yesterday, but The New Republic picked up on some pretty optimistic (for Washington) rhetoric from him on the issue this morning:
November 6, 2009
‘The Concrete is Cracking’: Front-Loaded New Transport Bill Gains Steam
With the U.S. unemployment rate hitting 10.2 percent today, its highest level in 26 years, a palpable shift is occurring on Capitol Hill.
November 6, 2009
Distracted Driving Debate Continues in Congress as Consensus Looks Elusive
After three public hearings in one week on the increasingly hot-button issue of distracted driving, Congress appears no closer to answering the question of whether a punitive strategy for encouraging state-level action -- such as threatening to withhold highway funds -- can win sufficient support from conservatives.
November 6, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Voters told pollsters that “jobs and the economy” were their No. 1 concerns this year, which is keeping discussion of a new infrastructure spending package very much alive in Washington (Bloomberg) What’s the real lesson of this past Election Day? That ballot measures for transportation investment do well (Morning News) Blumenauer introduces a bill that … Continued
November 6, 2009