State Sen. Bill Stephens to study transportation dollar issues. - Unfortunately, he is opposed to increasing the motor fuel tax.
Now that state Sen. Bill Stephens has been named chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, he said he's planning to get up to speed on the alphabet soup of transportation planning.
Stephens (R-Canton), 48, who is running for secretary of state, already knows something about metro Atlanta traffic: He lives in Cherokee County off the congested Sixes Road exit of I-575.
Since he was named to the chairmanship last week, Stephens said he hasn't had much time to study issues such as MARTA's financial woes or the Atlanta region's 25-year transportation plan. But he has thoughts on some issues.
He doesn't support an increase in the motor fuel tax, one of the lowest fuel levies in the country, nor does he think the General Assembly would pass an increase.
Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), the former Transportation Committee chairman who took Stephens' job as Senate majority leader, earlier this year floated the idea of a statewide sales tax for transportation.
The proposed tax, which Williams said first would require approval by voters as a constitutional amendment, could raise $5 billion over five years to fund transportation projects.
The new chairman said he'd look at the idea.
"I don't think that new taxes are necessarily the answer," said Stephens, who would like to see more transportation dollars coming from Washington.
Stephens was a co-sponsor of the 2003 bill that allows private companies to propose and build transportation projects.
"I think the private sector has a lot to offer but not at the expense of using public tax dollars for private advantage," he said.
He said transportation is an important issue, but it means something different to people depending on where they live.
"In the metro area it's congestion," he said. "In South Georgia, it's economic development. In North Georgia, it's access to the region itself."
(5-16-05, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.)
_______________
I regret learning how Sen. Stephens regards the idea and prospect of raising the motor fuel tax.
In a 10-9-04 post entitled "The time is now; the need is acute; sponsors solicited and welcome -- In 2005 the Gen. Assembly needs to remove the sales tax exemption on groceries," I wrote:
Throughout all of these administrations, even though we have needed to improve and go forward with ambitious transportation improvement plans, an increase in our state’s motor fuel tax -- one of the lowest motor fuel taxes in the nation and much of any increase which would be borne by non-Georgians -- has been on the untouchable list.
(I have reason to believe -- I can almost say know -- that this logical tax increase would have become a reality had Gov. Barnes been elected to a second term. Maybe not real early in his term with the economy down and gas prices on the rise, but during his second term nonetheless.)
Stephens (R-Canton), 48, who is running for secretary of state, already knows something about metro Atlanta traffic: He lives in Cherokee County off the congested Sixes Road exit of I-575.
Since he was named to the chairmanship last week, Stephens said he hasn't had much time to study issues such as MARTA's financial woes or the Atlanta region's 25-year transportation plan. But he has thoughts on some issues.
He doesn't support an increase in the motor fuel tax, one of the lowest fuel levies in the country, nor does he think the General Assembly would pass an increase.
Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), the former Transportation Committee chairman who took Stephens' job as Senate majority leader, earlier this year floated the idea of a statewide sales tax for transportation.
The proposed tax, which Williams said first would require approval by voters as a constitutional amendment, could raise $5 billion over five years to fund transportation projects.
The new chairman said he'd look at the idea.
"I don't think that new taxes are necessarily the answer," said Stephens, who would like to see more transportation dollars coming from Washington.
Stephens was a co-sponsor of the 2003 bill that allows private companies to propose and build transportation projects.
"I think the private sector has a lot to offer but not at the expense of using public tax dollars for private advantage," he said.
He said transportation is an important issue, but it means something different to people depending on where they live.
"In the metro area it's congestion," he said. "In South Georgia, it's economic development. In North Georgia, it's access to the region itself."
(5-16-05, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.)
_______________
I regret learning how Sen. Stephens regards the idea and prospect of raising the motor fuel tax.
In a 10-9-04 post entitled "The time is now; the need is acute; sponsors solicited and welcome -- In 2005 the Gen. Assembly needs to remove the sales tax exemption on groceries," I wrote:
Throughout all of these administrations, even though we have needed to improve and go forward with ambitious transportation improvement plans, an increase in our state’s motor fuel tax -- one of the lowest motor fuel taxes in the nation and much of any increase which would be borne by non-Georgians -- has been on the untouchable list.
(I have reason to believe -- I can almost say know -- that this logical tax increase would have become a reality had Gov. Barnes been elected to a second term. Maybe not real early in his term with the economy down and gas prices on the rise, but during his second term nonetheless.)
posted by Sid Cottingham | 9:52 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home