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I dearly wish that we could come up with a dedicated source of funding for Amtrak. One wonders why someone(anyone)in congress would get tried of these yearly battles and propose something(anything)for a stable source of funding.
Years ago, W. Graham Claytor (then Amtrak president)regularly banged the drum for a penny on the gas tax. I know that would go over like a lead balloon right now, but there have to be some unique and creative ideas out there.
I've always thought that it might be easier to add a $25.00 surcharge to the purchase of an automobile/truck that would go into a national fund to provide monies for transit and include Amtrak. I haven't thought all of the ramifications through on this (I know sales fluctutate every year and how much would really come in?). But it's one of my off the cuff ideas.
OK gang..........what are your ideas?
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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A lot of the regional rail money comes from the Federal Highway Trust Fund (motor fuel tax) right now. California, Washington, and Oregon and a bunch of other states use some of their money for rail.
With a penny tax on each cell phone call we could probably fund a lot of stuff.
-------------------- Kiernan Posts: 155 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Apr 2005
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Two cents on the gas tax is to my mind the best idea out there. One cent goes directly to individual states and one cent to a federal fund.
The gas tax has not kept up with inflation, and two cents is less than the almost daily price fluxuations at the pump, so there is plenty of wiggle room to justify this. Some people would initially raise a fuss at "increasing taxes" but in the end nobody would really notice the difference.
Others have suggested changing the Highway Trust Fund to a Transportation Trust Fund which would fund all modes of transportation, to be apportioned by Congress depending on need and state funding applications.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Appropriating 1 or 2 cents from the 4.3 cent a gallon increase from 1993 would be the best method, and it would get that tax money back into transportation.
Right now, all of that 4.3 cent a gallon tax increase from 1993 is going directly into the general fund.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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How about having an clause added to the transportation funding (such as just passed) that stipulates dollar for dollar matching funds for every item of PORK that is inserted. HA!!
Seriously, there is money available as we can see by examining in detail the spending authorized in most legislation. We do not need more taxes, we just need to spend more wisely. But fat chance of that happening when our 535 elected officials look for items that will get them reelected. And we do not have the influence to get their attention, although they will all answer our mail and say something designed to not alienate us.
As reluctant as I am to acknowledge the fact, it is true that we are small in numbers and have little money to spend persuading.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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I originally thought a penny tax on gasoline would be a good idea. But people won't tolerate it with the current prices which is unfortunate. All they think of is their SUV's (some people really don't need them).
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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