This summer, our nation barrels toward another self-created fiscal cliff and Georgians must call on our Congressional leadership to prevent dire consequences. The current transportation law, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), expires this September with the Federal Highway Trust Fund on the verge of insolvency. The repercussions are grim for both the economy and our communities.
For years, our country has suffered from a systematic underfunding of infrastructure. The federal gas tax has not increased since 1993 and Georgia’s excise tax, one of the lowest in the nation at 7.5 cents per gallon, only heightens our reliance on those federal funds. Gas tax revenue is not indexed for inflation, has steadily lost purchasing power and has been impacted by improvements in automobile fuel efficiency and the reality that Americans are driving less per person. Put simply, the current gas tax cannot keep up with the needs of our roads, bridges, and rail systems.
As deadlines loom and project funding becomes uncertain, as many as 70 transportation projects in Georgia are at risk. Without action, these and other projects could be delayed indefinitely — putting thousands of Georgia jobs at risk and allowing further decline of our transportation infrastructure.
Time and again our region’s citizens and businesses cite traffic as one of our most pressing issues. While we debate how we should fund transportation,there is widespread agreement that we should. Infrastructure investments improve safety and mobility, continually show a positive return on investment and are a significant employment sector. Standard & Poor’s Infrastructure Investment Report found that for every $1 of infrastructure funding, an economic return of $1.70 is generated to GDP.
An efficient transportation system is also critical to our regional and national competitiveness. A recent American Planning Association poll found that local transportation features like safe streets, accessibility and walkability are important to attracting and retaining employers and a talented workforce. The trend is nationwide, particularly among educated Millennials and Baby Boomers, but shows in the survey to be even stronger in Georgia.
The need to keep our economy, goods and services moving is not a partisan issue. Nor is it a problem that can wait. Without stable, sustainable funding, we cannot plan projects necessary to repair our roads and bridges, and our public transportation systems face even harsher cuts. Planners across Georgia are working to create communities of lasting value, and transportation funding is critical to implementing those plans, maintaining our quality of life and enhancing our economic vitality.
Unlikely allies are reaching across the aisle to devise solutions to this crisis. Business and labor are promoting an increased gas tax. House Republicans and President Obama agree that corporate tax reform could be part of the solution. Others are looking at alternatives to the gas tax. The trust fund will need a diverse set of solutions to overcome these challenges, and we need elected officials to take charge and stop kicking the can down our pothole-laden roads.
