stephanie
12-12-2008, 11:17 AM
By Mark Johnson
Posted: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008
RALEIGH A special transportation committee gave final approval Wednesday to a report that proposes a new tax on the number of miles a car is driven each year, as well as other options for generating highway and transit money.
The vehicle miles tax would be calculated during the car's annual inspection and likely would supplement or replace the gas tax.
Legislators on the 21st Century Transportation Committee cautioned that a new tax is unlikely to advance during a budget crisis.
The special committee was formed to propose a menu of options for transportation funding, because the state's primary sources of money – the gas tax and a tax on car sales – are flat or declining.
The group also proposed toll booths on I-77 and I-95.
Committee member Chuck McGrady, however, said the committee skirted the question of overhauling how the Department of Transportation operates after years of complaints about turf battles, political patronage and dysfunctional divisions.
“We haven't gone far enough,” said McGrady, a Henderson County commissioner.
Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, another committee member, cast the lone no vote on the final version of the recommendations, saying the vehicle miles tax unfairly penalized rural residents with long commutes and no public transportation.
read the rest and comments..
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/407443.html
Posted: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008
RALEIGH A special transportation committee gave final approval Wednesday to a report that proposes a new tax on the number of miles a car is driven each year, as well as other options for generating highway and transit money.
The vehicle miles tax would be calculated during the car's annual inspection and likely would supplement or replace the gas tax.
Legislators on the 21st Century Transportation Committee cautioned that a new tax is unlikely to advance during a budget crisis.
The special committee was formed to propose a menu of options for transportation funding, because the state's primary sources of money – the gas tax and a tax on car sales – are flat or declining.
The group also proposed toll booths on I-77 and I-95.
Committee member Chuck McGrady, however, said the committee skirted the question of overhauling how the Department of Transportation operates after years of complaints about turf battles, political patronage and dysfunctional divisions.
“We haven't gone far enough,” said McGrady, a Henderson County commissioner.
Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, another committee member, cast the lone no vote on the final version of the recommendations, saying the vehicle miles tax unfairly penalized rural residents with long commutes and no public transportation.
read the rest and comments..
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/407443.html