This section outlines the Commission's recommendations for raising revenues to fund the federal share of national surface transportation investment both immediately and in the longer term. These recommendations are based on the analysis of individual revenue options detailed in Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6. Chapter 3, in particular, groups options into the following four categories:
• Strong Options-the most feasible mechanisms for raising future federal surface transportation revenues or for federal action to help enable state and local governments to raise revenues
• Moderate Options-mechanisms that are considered as potential revenue sources but that present major concerns in one or more areas when considered as a federal option (some of these options are more effective and appropriate at the state or local level)
• Weak Options-mechanisms considered to have low revenue potential or that present major concerns in multiple areas
• Seriously Flawed or Not Applicable Options-mechanisms the Commission briefly examined but were deemed either to have serious flaws, be inappropriate as a federal mechanism, or not suited for federal encouragement of state and local action
Exhibit 8-2 categorizes the various federal options as well as those options for which federal action could help facilitate funding at the state or local level (by viability category). The chart also lists options that have no federal applicability or role (additional details can be found in Chapter 3).
EXHIBIT 8-2: REVENUE OPTION EVALUATION SUMMARY* | |||
Strong | Moderate | Weak | Not Applicable/ Seriously Flawed** |
Federal Options | |||
• Vehicle miles traveled fee | •Freight waybill tax | • Freight ton-mile tax | • Vehicle inspection and |
•Automobile tire tax | • Vehicle sales tax | • Driver's license surcharge | traffic citation surcharge |
• Motor fuel tax • Carbon tax/cap and trade • Customs duties • Truck/trailer sales tax • Vehicle registration fee • Heavy Vehicle Use Tax • Container fee • Tariff on imported oil • Sales tax on motor fuels • Truck tire tax | • Harbor maintenance tax • General fund transfer | • Bicycle tire tax • Dedicated income tax • Auto-related sales tax • Freight ton-based tax • General sales tax | •Vehicle personal property tax •Windfall profits tax • Petroleum franchise tax • Minerals severance tax • Federal tax on local transit fares • Federal tax on local parking fees |
State and Local Options Benefiting from Federal Action | |||
• Facility level tolling and pricing | • Proceeds of asset sales, leases, and concessions | • Cordon area pricing • Passenger facility charges | • Development and impact fees • Tourism-related taxes • Tobacco, alcohol, and gambling taxes |
*For revenue options that are dependent upon utilization of a targeted investment fund as a basic premise for feasibility, such a fund is assumed for evaluation purposes (e.g., for all freight-related funding mechanisms and more specifically those more narrowly targeted to intermodal port and harbor-related investment). " State and local options in this category may have applicability but there is no relevant federal action or role.