RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A
REASONABLE INCREASE AND INDEXING OF THE FEDERAL GAS TAX TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE NATION’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
WHEREAS, America’s cities and metropolitan areas are
the engines of the national economy; and
WHEREAS, metropolitan regions depend on strong
transportation infrastructure to remain economically competitive; and
WHEREAS, Congress is now debating the reauthorization
of TEA-21 and the critical issue of funding our nation’s surface transportation
system; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors expressed
support for the $375 billion funding level for TEA-21 reauthorization proposed
by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in November 2003; and
WHEREAS, Congress is now considering much lower
funding levels for TEA-21 reauthorization based on the $284 billion legislation
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and the $318 billion legislation
passed by the U.S. Senate; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors supports a
funding level of no less than $318 billion for the TEA-21 reauthorization bill;
and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is promoting
an aggressive agenda for TEA-21 reauthorization that would require
significantly more funding than provided by TEA-21; and
WHEREAS, the simplest, most-effective means to raise
significant revenue for surface transportation programs is through an increase
in the federal gas tax; and
WHEREAS, leading transportation advocates in Congress
have called for an increase in the federal gas tax to ensure adequate
investment in transportation; and
WHEREAS, current increases in gas prices do not translate into larger investments in our nation’s surface transportation
infrastructure,
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress
and the Administration to support a reasonable increase and indexing of the
federal gas tax to ensure a well-funded and equitability distributed TEA-21
reauthorization bill that meets our nation’s surface transportation needs.
©2004 U.S. Conference of Mayors 