ARTBA releases proposal to raise gas tax and fund six-year highway bill

Members of the Transportation Construction Coalition will launch a 10-day social media campaign March 16 urging Congress to find a permanent fix for the federal Highway Trust Fund. Each day for 10 days, coalition members will tweet, pin, post or email a different infographic highlighting the benefits of investing in transportation infrastructure. The campaign uses the Twitter hashtag #fixthetrustfund.

Also on March 12, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association released a new proposal to end the political gridlock and pay for a six-year bill: Raise the gas tax, but give middle- and lower-income Americans a tax rebate for six years. The rebates could be paid for from a one-time tax on foreign earnings "repatriated" by U.S. corporations.

ARTBA estimates the tax increase would cost most drivers an average of $88 a year, and truckers would pay an extra $682.

"Our proposal provides an answer for those who believe Americans are not willing or able to invest another $90 a year to improve their mobility and help keep the cost of just about everything they buy down," ARTBA CEO Pete Ruane said in a press release. The proposed 15-cent per gallon increase, over an entire year, "is less than we all pay each month for cell phone service," he said.

The federal gas tax was last raised in 1993, to 18.4 cents a gallon.

Congress has repeatedly punted on figuring out how to pay for highway and transit projects in face of declining Highway Trust Fund revenues. Instead, lawmakers have passed short-term bills and tapped billions of dollars in general funds to keep federal money flowing to the states.

The current bill expires May 31, just as the construction season kicks into high gear.

The Transportation Construction Coalition includes 31 national associations and labor unions. In addition to co-chairs ARTBA and Associated General Contractors of America, members include American Society of Civil Engineers, American Council of Engineering Companies, American Iron and Steel Institute, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Asphalt Pavement Association, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association and the Portland Cement Association.