REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS plan to force a vote on a temporary suspension of the state gas tax on Thursday, despite failing in a similar effort in the House. Although they are unlikely to succeed in passing the policy, a roll call would force Democratic lawmakers who oppose the policy to take a vote that could […]
gas tax
Posted inEconomy
Upcoming tax debate awkward for GOP
As the House prepares to debate new funding sources for transportation, Massachusetts Republicans find themselves in an awkward situation. They generally oppose raising taxes, particularly the gas tax, but the party’s top elected official, Gov. Charlie Baker, is leading the charge for an 11-state transportation climate initiative that would place a price on the carbon […]
Posted inTransportation
DeLeo calls off transpo tax debate – for now
HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO is putting off a debate over tax legislation to fund transportation improvements until next year, throwing into doubt whether anything will happen in an area that advocates and business groups say is in desperate need of more funding. After expressing some uncertainty Wednesday about his plans to take up the tax […]
Posted inTransportation
DeLeo unsure about tax bill timeline
HOUSE SPEAKER Robert DeLeo expressed some uncertainty Wednesday afternoon about whether the House will be able to advance a tax package before the end of the year. “Right now we’re still working on it. It’s still something that we’re working on,” DeLeo said after a Democratic caucus. “I would advise you to stay tuned in […]
Posted inEnvironment
A caution on hiking ‘regressive’ gas tax
ADVOCATES HAVE LONG pointed to an increase in the state’s gas tax as a way to generate new revenue for transportation needs, often citing the much steeper increases in MBTA fares in recent years than in the state levy on fuel used by drivers. With the Legislature poised to consider new transportation revenue this fall, […]
Posted inTransportation
Straus: Transportation revenue debate starting now
THE LONG-AWAITED legislative debate over how to fund improvements to the state’s beleaguered transportation system will kick off Tuesday, according to one of the key players. Gov. Charlie Baker himself will appear before the Transportation Committee to pitch lawmakers on his five-year, $18 billion bond bill financing transportation construction projects. Questions over how the governor […]
Posted inTransportation
Isolation problem: T fares rising faster than cost of driving
IN NOVEMBER 1990, Bill Weld won his first election as governor, NBC aired the first full season of Seinfeld, and someone driving from Melrose to catch a Bruins game could expect to pay 87 cents more for the car trip than the $1.65 train fare into North Station. A lot has changed since then. Looking […]