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By Guy Page
A recent WCAX report suggests state officials may turn to tolls to recoup some of its projected $33 million transportation revenue shortfall, caused by declining tax receipts from the gas tax.
Vermonters are driving more fuel efficient cars. More of us are working from home or just plain driving less. That’s a good thing for air quality and other ways but it’s bad news for the bean counters in the Legislature who depend on these receipts to pay for the state’s share of the transportation fund.
Legislators aren’t hopeful about additional help from Washington in the post-Leahy pork era, not to mention an administration that uses the power of the purse to punish states not in compliance with its executive orders and policy shifts.
This year the legislators closed a $61 million T-fund budget gap, in part by cutting jobs, as reported by Compass Vermont in September. But the problem remains: too much budget, too little gas tax revenue. So…. tolls?
Sen. Pat Brennan (R-Grand Isle/Colchester) sits on the Senate Transportation Committee. He’s also a past chair of House Transportation. He’s been warning about declining revenue for years. VDC reached out to him Wednesday night to give us the scoop on whether the Legislature is considering going to tolls. He answered:
“If we are, I am not aware. We studied it years ago and there are a lot of factors to consider. It wasn’t feasible then and I can’t believe it’s feasible now. When you set up a toll system you then forfeit your ability to draw federal funds for all interstate maintenance and bridgework. And traffic counts of our small state do not support it.”
Brennan’s word isn’t the last word, of course. VDC will follow this policy issue if it arises in the 2026 Legislature.
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Categories: Transportation
“To recoup some of its projected $33 million transportation revenue shortfall, caused by declining tax receipts from the gas tax.”-
Well what did the legislature expect when they almost mandated we buy electric vehicles, more tax money in the coffers? People buy less gas, they pay less gas tax and there goes your highway funds. People working from home don’t help either but hey, if you CAN work from home, great!
So now the idea of tolls comes into play. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It will also create a lot of traffic back-up and I don’t think the juice will be worth the squeeze, that and they will again target the wrong people, the hard working Vermonter.
The legislature already jacked taxes through the roof. Time they prioritize things.
These people are incredible. As in incredibly shortsighted.
How about mandating the install of tollgates at the end of every driveway of every resident & charge them for the privilege to pull their own cars onto their own property? Don’t give them any ideas, right? ‘
Or…..how about nixing most of your social programs since eventually you DO run out of other people’s money which is precisely why socialism does. not. work. How about not forcing the entire state to pay for Burlington’s hot mess that they themselves created? How about not opening more tried & true fails of leftist ideologies such as “safe” injection sites which only increase overall crime including street drug dealing directly & enabling addictions causing the need for yet MORE futile “fixes”? How about not encouraging endless streams of homeless peoples from all over the nation to converge upon VT for “free” upkeep? How about your having left the Federal school lunch program alone which fed qualified schoolchildren from low-income households as opposed to demanding millionaire’s kids get “free” meals on this state taxpayer’s dimes too? I ate a reduced-cost lunch when I went to school back in the day – and NO ONE ever knew who was on this program & who wasn’t! Sorry, socialists……nobody knew. Nobody cared. Don’t ask, don’t tell – all you did was create a problem again that needed “fixing”.
Your middle-income population is EXITING, geniuses! Your socialism is already flailing. But there is a theory that this is precisely what you want after all.
TEACH a man to fish instead.
God save Vermont. And yes, indeed, there IS a God. Your disbelief in all the proofs that surround you & what science has uncovered is simply your own personal ignorance and doesn’t disprove God whatsoever.
When was the last time you heard a moonbat suggest reducing taxes to address budget problems?
Your I. D. number will be on the windshield of your car or truck when you go thru the toll booth and recorded for your bill sent to you in the mail. Now this could end up like New York Cities toll collection racket.
It already is on the windshield! Just take a look at your VT inspection sticker… if it is like the one I have, there are numbers on that piece that will reach to the moonbat base and back, you go out of state that uses transponders for reading such stuff, and the fine with the amount is included and will be waiting in your mailbox before you get back home. I had it happen to me in N H of all places. the next thing will be a machine that is capable of reading what is inside your wallet as you go down the road, VT probably already has that.
Conserve energy, be environment friendly and then pay, pay, pay. What’s wrong with this process? Reap your rewards folks and make sure your payment is on time.
Charge EV’s the same tax that we pay for gas tax every time they charge their EV. Those who don’t have EV’s are already paying more for electricity . so a “gas tax” on Ev’s would make it even !
Sandy Oliver
Charge EV’s the same tax that we pay for gas tax every time they charge their EV. Those who don’t have EV’s are already paying more for electricity . so a “gas tax” on Ev’s would make it even !