Tenn. Senator Has New Plan For Fuel Tax
Lamar Alexander Says Some Money Not Going Where It's Needed
POSTED: 5:52 pm CDT April 3,
2008
UPDATED: 7:43 pm CDT April 3,
2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander said some tax money that everyone pays isn’t getting where it’s needed.
Video: Tenn. Senator Has Plans For Fuel TaxesEvery time residents pump gas, they pay federal and state taxes on the fuel at a rate of 39 cents for each gallon.But Alexander said the government hasn't been putting the cash -- more than $200 million -- toward building roads, bridges and highways all over the state.He said he's got a new plan to change that.Alexander said the bulk of the $237 million that’s been paid since December 2005 has gone into funding the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.The Tennessee Department of Transportation relies on the cash flow because nearly half of its budget comes from federal appropriations."The state Transportation Department in Tennessee has had to slow down at least five big projects because of the federal government's failure to send gas tax money to Tennessee. The reason that happened was because the federal government, our government in Washington, spent the money on something else," Alexander said.Alexander is proposing an amendment to make sure that doesn't happen again."If we raise money from the gas taxes, it has to be used for highways or other transportation purposes. That'll help improve traffic jams driving in and out of Nashville and it will improve highway safety all over the state of Tennessee," Alexander said.It's not just roads that could be affected by the amendment: Bridges, recreational trails and improvement programs to clean up the air would be impacted.Alexander is also calling for the establishment of a highway efficiency standard to rank states according to which one has the most efficient highways to pressure governors to clean up their roads and reduce traffic jams.
Video: Tenn. Senator Has Plans For Fuel TaxesEvery time residents pump gas, they pay federal and state taxes on the fuel at a rate of 39 cents for each gallon.But Alexander said the government hasn't been putting the cash -- more than $200 million -- toward building roads, bridges and highways all over the state.He said he's got a new plan to change that.Alexander said the bulk of the $237 million that’s been paid since December 2005 has gone into funding the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.The Tennessee Department of Transportation relies on the cash flow because nearly half of its budget comes from federal appropriations."The state Transportation Department in Tennessee has had to slow down at least five big projects because of the federal government's failure to send gas tax money to Tennessee. The reason that happened was because the federal government, our government in Washington, spent the money on something else," Alexander said.Alexander is proposing an amendment to make sure that doesn't happen again."If we raise money from the gas taxes, it has to be used for highways or other transportation purposes. That'll help improve traffic jams driving in and out of Nashville and it will improve highway safety all over the state of Tennessee," Alexander said.It's not just roads that could be affected by the amendment: Bridges, recreational trails and improvement programs to clean up the air would be impacted.Alexander is also calling for the establishment of a highway efficiency standard to rank states according to which one has the most efficient highways to pressure governors to clean up their roads and reduce traffic jams.Copyright 2008 by WSMV.com. All rights reserved.
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