Green Taxes

[TheMercenary]

Well the majority of it is not going to the roads and bridges...

Federal Highway Administration: FHWA obligated nearly $28 billion from the HTF for
purposes other than construction and maintenance of highways and bridges during fiscal
years 2004 through 2008. Of the nearly $28 billion, 13 percent ($3.8 billion) went toward
transportation enhancement projects and the remaining 87 percent ($24.2 billion) went
toward safety-, facility-, planning-, and other-related projects.

linked above

[SamIam]

Colorado, at least, does get federal funding to pay for all sorts of highway projects that do not include the interstates. More federal assistance would free up state tax monies to go to other things besides road construction. I don't think Colorado is alone in this respect.

LITTLETON — With one quick tug of the rope, Gov. Bill Ritter pulled the curtain off a new road sign on Belleview Avenue just west of Santa Fe Drive on Tuesday morning.

The sign is the first of many highway markers that will alert drivers to road projects funded by the federal stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama in February at the Museum of Nature and Science in Denver.

Joined by representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, the Colorado Department of Transportation and local officials, Ritter touted the $1.2 million project to resurface one mile of Belleview between Federal Boulevard and Santa Fe Drive in Arapahoe County as well as replace the sidewalks and gutters along the stretch of road as a positive step forward for the state.

http://www.coloradostatesman.com/con...ghway-projects

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Colorado, at least, does get federal funding to pay for all sorts of highway projects that do not include the interstates. More federal assistance would free up state tax monies to go to other things besides road construction. I don't think Colorado is alone in this respect.



http://www.coloradostatesman.com/con...ghway-projects

Yes, that is also in the one of the GAO reports I cited, many states are in the same boat. It is apparently an acceptable use of the funds.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Yes, that is also in the one of the GAO reports I cited, many states are in the same boat. It is apparently an acceptable use of the funds.

Well, then, there you go. Federal funding does impact state highway projects. Colorado is projected to require 1.5 billion dollars to maintain and construct highways. Even 27% of this (from your GAO cite) is a pretty penny.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Well, then, there you go. Federal funding does impact state highway projects. Colorado is projected to require 1.5 billion dollars to maintain and construct highways. Even 27% of this (from your GAO cite) is a pretty penny.

No doubt. Never said it didn't. (edit: I did say it, "A federal tax would only go to the Interstate." and I was wrong. Post #42)

In 2006 our state got

1.4 million from state funds tax
0.9 million from federal tax
0.5 million from local tax

Each state gets a different number and the formula for the differences is a bit complicated. But basically more populated states that collect more tax for the feds get more money.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Well the majority of it is not going to the roads and bridges...

linked above

Sigh....No again.

You are reading it incorrectly. The majority IS going to roads and bridges.

The last HTF expenditures were authorized under the SAFETEA act and included more than $240 billion over those five years (2004-08).

If $28 billion (out of the total $244 billion of HTF during those years was for purposes other than highways)....that means, almost 90% of the $244 billion went to highways. In fact, that $28 billion sounds way to low to me.

Cites? Nope...you have demonstrated repeatedlty that you wont accept any data other than your own.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

Siigh....No again.

You are reading it incorrectly.

The last HTF expenditures were authorized under the SAFETEA act included more than $240 billion over those five years (2004-08).

If $28 billion (out of the total $244 billion of HTF during those years was for purposes other than highways....that means, almost 90% of the $244 billion went to highways.

Cites? Nope...you have demonstrated repeatedlty that you wont accept any data other than your own.

It is the GAO's data, not mine. As I stated before, the majority of roads and bridges in a state are paid for by the state, not the federal gov. The projects which are consistantly approved for funding from the Fed via the trust fund are interstates, as the GAO report other things and roads are paid for as well. The 90% you site still is not the majority of the expenditures of money for a particular road in a state, those are by state funding as reported in the GAO report cited above.

You have yet to support your numbers. If you have the numbers I will be glad to look at them.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

.... You have yet to support your numbers. If you have the numbers I will be glad to look at them.

Honesty, if it were anyone else, I would provide the data.

The fact remains that the HTF pays for highways, roads, bridges in the NHS.

I just have the patience or interest to continue this discussion with you.

Take that anyway you want.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

Honesty, if it were anyone else, I would provide the data.

The fact remains that the HTF pays for highways, roads, bridges in the NHS.

I just have the patience or interest to continue this discussion with you.

Take that anyway you want.

I get it. I ask you to back up your data points and you can't. You solidify my point earlier. No problem.