State Legislature
New Threat: States Robbing From Education to Pay for Highway Expansions
Last week, protesters gathered on the statehouse steps in Little Rock, Arkansas, to oppose a bill that would transfer money from the state's general fund into its highway fund.
March 19, 2013
Bob McDonnell: Everyone Should Pay For Virginia’s Roads (Except Drivers)
In transportation circles, there's an endless debate about how to fund infrastructure. Raise the gas tax? Index it to inflation? Institute a vehicle-miles-traveled fee? Many jurisdictions have turned to property taxes, bonds, and sales taxes as a supplement.
January 9, 2013
Which States Are Breaking Free From Oil Dependence? NRDC Ranks All 50
When it comes to helping their residents get around without breaking the bank, California, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, and New York are the top five states in the nation, while Nebraska, Alaska, Mississippi, Idaho, and North Dakota bring up the rear.
November 19, 2012
Voter ID Laws Marginalize People Without a Car
Sustainable transportation advocates may read news headlines about new voter ID laws, roll their eyes at the prejudices of red-state legislators, and turn the page -- at their own peril. This seemingly unrelated issue may have far-reaching consequences for transportation policy. New state laws mandating photo ID for voters threaten to disenfranchise nondrivers, and the skewed elections that would result could lead to political control by forces hostile to transit, cities, and even Safe Routes to Schools.
August 8, 2012
“Highway Removal” Project in Cleveland Looks an Awful Lot Like a Highway
It is an oft-lamented fact, both locally and nationally, that the city of Cleveland hasn’t taken full advantage of its position on the shore of Lake Erie. The national media, in its seemingly boundless enthusiasm for stories about the declining fortunes of the city where I live, is quick to point out that we haven't taken advantage of what may be our best asset.
March 23, 2011
“Anti-Livability” Bills Threaten to Clip Arlington’s Wings
A pair of bills making their way through Virginia's House of Delegates threaten to slam the brakes on smart growth and livability efforts in Arlington and throughout Northern Virginia.
January 28, 2011
LaHood: NYC’s Congestion Pricing Money Still There for the Taking
Speaking at an event in Midtown yesterday morning, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood let it be known that New York City can still claim hundreds of millions of dollars in federal transit funding -- if local lawmakers implement congestion pricing. NY1 reports:
May 14, 2009
Want a Clean Bill of Health for the MTA? Call Obama.
Former MTA CEO Lee Sander spent the last two-and-a-half years doing his best to make the MTA a transparent, accountable public agency, and in doing so restore its reputation. He let the sunshine in, but was unable to undo the damage to the agency's image caused by years of attacks from transit advocates, unions and politicians.
May 8, 2009
Does the State Senate’s MTA Plan Pass Environmental Muster?
The Municipal Art Society came out with a report yesterday urging New York State to start analyzing greenhouse gas emissions in its environmental review process (SEQRA). MAS argues that the policy could be adopted without changing existing laws, which raises an interesting question to ponder on this Earth Day afternoon: Would the State Senate's latest MTA funding plan pass muster if it were subject to an EIS that factors in climate change?
April 22, 2009
Albany’s Transit Sins Come Back to Bite America
Just how bad are the service cuts and layoffs that transit agencies across the country will soon be forced to enact? Severe enough to weaken the national economy, the New York Times reports -- all while Congress pieces together a stimulus plan that does nothing to address the problem:
February 4, 2009