Obama wants to turn our interstates into toll roads

[JFK_USA]

Are liberals wanting to tax the little guy who drives his family across country? I thought we wanted to go after the rich?

In this case we're taxing the people who use what was built. Makes sense right?

No, it forcing people to pay over and over for what they already paid for. It's not our problem the feds can't manage money, well I guess they are trying to make it our problem aren't they?

Rick Perry built a new highway to bypass Austin all on tolls. The idea obviously was to get truckers that didn't need to stop in Austin to take these toll roads to alievate the traffic pressure in that city. It has failed miserably. In fact, the company who built it might be in default by 2015.

Toll roads are not a good solution but it's sometimes a solution presented by Conservatives who have to fix the budget shortfalls that they create by lowering taxes on the people who can afford to pay them. So this isn't just a Democrat idea.

If Obama does support this idea, I won't support it. It's essentially a regressive tax that will hurt the working people. There needs to be a steady amount of money towards infrastructure in this country because roads fall apart. Over time, they crumble and create potholes. Building new highways are great but when they supersede the maintenance of our current ones, that's a problem.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

How do you pay it from Mom's Basement?

Mom died, decades ago. Try again.

Shouldn't you move upstairs then?

Shouldn't you grow up?

 

[bendog]

In this case we're taxing the people who use what was built. Makes sense right?

No, it forcing people to pay over and over for what they already paid for. It's not our problem the feds can't manage money, well I guess they are trying to make it our problem aren't they?

Rick Perry built a new highway to bypass Austin all on tolls. The idea obviously was to get truckers that didn't need to stop in Austin to take these toll roads to alievate the traffic pressure in that city. It has failed miserably. In fact, the company who built it might be in default by 2015.

Toll roads are not a good solution but it's sometimes a solution presented by Conservatives who have to fix the budget shortfalls that they create by lowering taxes on the people who can afford to pay them. So this isn't just a Democrat idea.

If Obama does support this idea, I won't support it. It's essentially a regressive tax that will hurt the working people. There needs to be a steady amount of money towards infrastructure in this country because roads fall apart. Over time, they crumble and create potholes. Building new highways are great but when they supersede the maintenance of our current ones, that's a problem.

Yes and no. Suppose there's an interstate that because of added traffic is hopelessly congested, and the Trust Fund no longer provides enough funds to expand capacity by adding lanes. (Not an uncommon situation in most stated East of the Mississippi, or perhaps in western cities).

What's wrong with doing an Easy Pass thing to fund new lanes?

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Obama wants to turn our interstates into toll roads

This is how the cons do evil shit, and blame others. It's the GOP's refusal to fix roads and bridges that is making STATES want to turn highways into toll roads. Obama has nothing to do with it.

riiiiight.....Obama already fixed everything......

 

[Stephanie]

so what's he going to do FORCE states to do this?

the man thinks he's know it all of every damn thing

I get sick of hearing his DUMB visions

If it hurts the poor and middle class he's all for it

 

[norwegen]

In 1951, the federal gas tax was raised to 2 cents, which was about 1.2 percent of the $1.73 average gas price. In 1983, the tax was raised to 4 cents, about 1.9 percent of the average gas price. In 1997, the new 18.4 cent tax was about 12.6 percent of the $1.46 gas price.*

Admittedly, since 1997, gas prices have risen while the tax per gallon hasn't. Since the first national gas tax in 1933, however, the tax rate has certainly increased. Why? We were able to build and maintain highways at relatively low rates in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s; why can't we do it now? Government "efficiency"?

* sources for my ciphering:

Table 5.24 Retail Motor Gasoline and On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices, 1949-2011 (Dollars per Gallon)

The Gas Tax - A History

 

[bendog]

so what's he going to do FORCE states to do this?

the man thinks he's know it all of every damn thing

I get sick of hearing his DUMB visions

If it hurts the poor and middle class he's all for it

Steph, go back and read. There's no "force." Rather, the WH suggested legislation to allow states to do this IF THEY WANT TO.

 

[Stephanie]

so what's he going to do FORCE states to do this?

the man thinks he's know it all of every damn thing

I get sick of hearing his DUMB visions

If it hurts the poor and middle class he's all for it

Steph, go back and read. There's no "force." Rather, the WH suggested legislation to allow states to do this IF THEY WANT TO.

ok, I stopped reading what he has to say a long time ago
why do we need legislation for this? If a state wanted to do it they would

 

[bendog]

so what's he going to do FORCE states to do this?

the man thinks he's know it all of every damn thing

I get sick of hearing his DUMB visions

If it hurts the poor and middle class he's all for it

Steph, go back and read. There's no "force." Rather, the WH suggested legislation to allow states to do this IF THEY WANT TO.

ok, I stopped reading what he has to say a long time ago
why do we need legislation for this? If a state wanted to do it they would

Actually, as I understand it, states can't. A state could build a toll road, but they couldn't use Federal Trust Fund dollars. I don't like a lot of stuff about Obama, but I admit I think his second term is better than the first. Politically, there's no way either party can support increasing the gas tax to get more highway dollars. The gop at least in theory supports giving states more power. It seems to me that this is an effort to allow states to raise more money to expand federal interstates. Seems sensible to me.

 

[Stephanie]

Steph, go back and read. There's no "force." Rather, the WH suggested legislation to allow states to do this IF THEY WANT TO.

ok, I stopped reading what he has to say a long time ago
why do we need legislation for this? If a state wanted to do it they would

Actually, as I understand it, states can't. A state could build a toll road, but they couldn't use Federal Trust Fund dollars. I don't like a lot of stuff about Obama, but I admit I think his second term is better than the first. Politically, there's no way either party can support increasing the gas tax to get more highway dollars. The gop at least in theory supports giving states more power. It seems to me that this is an effort to allow states to raise more money to expand federal interstates. Seems sensible to me.

I don't know if it's sensible or not..but thanks for answering.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

I-90 through Massachusetts is a toll road, so what exactly is changing?

 

[guno]

No, it forcing people to pay over and over for what they already paid for. It's not our problem the feds can't manage money, well I guess they are trying to make it our problem aren't they?

Rick Perry built a new highway to bypass Austin all on tolls. The idea obviously was to get truckers that didn't need to stop in Austin to take these toll roads to alievate the traffic pressure in that city. It has failed miserably. In fact, the company who built it might be in default by 2015.

Toll roads are not a good solution but it's sometimes a solution presented by Conservatives who have to fix the budget shortfalls that they create by lowering taxes on the people who can afford to pay them. So this isn't just a Democrat idea.

If Obama does support this idea, I won't support it. It's essentially a regressive tax that will hurt the working people. There needs to be a steady amount of money towards infrastructure in this country because roads fall apart. Over time, they crumble and create potholes. Building new highways are great but when they supersede the maintenance of our current ones, that's a problem.

Yes and no. Suppose there's an interstate that because of added traffic is hopelessly congested, and the Trust Fund no longer provides enough funds to expand capacity by adding lanes. (Not an uncommon situation in most stated East of the Mississippi, or perhaps in western cities).

What's wrong with doing an Easy Pass thing to fund new lanes?

NC is looking into that for I-95

 

[1776]

Do you live in NC???

Let me guess....Chapel Hill.

Rick Perry built a new highway to bypass Austin all on tolls. The idea obviously was to get truckers that didn't need to stop in Austin to take these toll roads to alievate the traffic pressure in that city. It has failed miserably. In fact, the company who built it might be in default by 2015.

Toll roads are not a good solution but it's sometimes a solution presented by Conservatives who have to fix the budget shortfalls that they create by lowering taxes on the people who can afford to pay them. So this isn't just a Democrat idea.

If Obama does support this idea, I won't support it. It's essentially a regressive tax that will hurt the working people. There needs to be a steady amount of money towards infrastructure in this country because roads fall apart. Over time, they crumble and create potholes. Building new highways are great but when they supersede the maintenance of our current ones, that's a problem.

Yes and no. Suppose there's an interstate that because of added traffic is hopelessly congested, and the Trust Fund no longer provides enough funds to expand capacity by adding lanes. (Not an uncommon situation in most stated East of the Mississippi, or perhaps in western cities).

What's wrong with doing an Easy Pass thing to fund new lanes?

NC is looking into that for I-95

 

[Jarlaxle]

This is going nowhere. We all saw how this moron screwed up healthcare. He can't do anything right and everybody knows it.

Obama Proposes Tolls on Interstates Across Nation

30 Apr 2014 1012
As with many federal accounts, the Highway Trust Fund is running on empty. Refilled with the 18.4-cent per gallon gas tax and disbursed by politicians and bureaucrats in Washington, the federal highway fund faces a $63 billion shortfall through 2018.

A shortage of funds tends to concentrate the mind—which is why the White House just proposed lifting an old federal restriction against tolling on 46,000 miles of interstate roads. This would allow states to collect tolls on federal interstates for the purpose of funding repairs and expansion.

What commuters and taxpayers may think of adding tolls on top of taxes is another story however—one that takes a back seat to the powerful interests now speaking to our representatives in Washington.

Of course, we’ve seen this rodeo before: government gets bigger, borrows and spends more tax money, and then, when funds get squeezed, politicians seek ways to increase taxes, fees, or tolls for things large numbers of voters actually use or want, such as safe streets or free-flowing roads. Meanwhile, general revenue that once paid for critical items gets shifted to growing the welfare state and swelling bureaucratic power

Obama is from Chicago. Practically everywhere you drive in that city there is a toll booth. You can't fart there without a toll collector wanting $1.50.

No kidding. I have driven in many cities...and of them all, I truly DESPISE Chicago! It's the only city I have ever seen that you just CANNOT get through without getting hit by tolls.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I-90 through Massachusetts is a toll road, so what exactly is changing?

The Mass Pike gets no federal; money & is entirely toll-funded. The tolls were supposed to come down when the bonds were paid off.

The bonds were paid off in 1983. The tolls just increased.