Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Tracy says that he wants a study of options for raising new revenue for state highway projects – but not until after the 2012 elections next fall.. Andrea Zelinski has the story (and video) at TNReport.
“I don’t see gas tax at all being in the picture as we speak,” Tracy said. “I see us looking at an overall picture of funding for transportation at the local level, at the county level, at the state level, looking at the overall picture of funding for transportation.”
Sen. Tracy said he plans to assemble a task force to meet “in the latter part of 2012,” which means voters won’t likely get a preview of the discussions prior to the primary elections in August or the general in November.
Tennessee Transportation Commissioner John Schroer told Republican Gov. Bill Haslam during last month’s budget hearings the state needs to begin thinking about how to compensate for the dropping gas tax revenues that are due in part to more fuel-efficient vehicles (and electric vehicles that don’t use gas) on the roads.
…. (Haslam says) at some point the state is going to need to look at the transportation taxes, “or we’re going to be down to where we can’t fund just the basics of our road and bridge program in Tennessee.”
“My suggestion, whether it be this piece or that, let’s take a comprehensive look at the whole way we do that. My sense is we’re still a year or two away from that, from having a comprehensive approach.”