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Chamber addresses future of highway, transit funding

AASHTO news report
A report issued by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week maintained that, based on the latest available revenue estimates, the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund
will be depleted by 2009 unless action is taken to generate additional revenue.

The Chamber recommends that Congress consider a range of options to generate new revenue, including indexing the current federal fuel tax. The report also raises possible options for consideration by local and state governments to help address the gap between transportation investment needs and available resources.

“The Chamber has issued a warning about a potential shortfall between the funding levels Congress committed to in the highway and transit reauthorization legislation and available Highway Trust Fund revenues," said AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley.

AASHTO takes that warning very seriously. Congress may well be called upon to act before the next reauthorization cycle in 2009 to be sure the trust fund can support the guaranteed funding levels.”

There are several ways for addressing the shortfall, Horsley said. Indexing the fuel tax was one option AASHTO supported in deliberations on reauthorization, and “if Congress considers it, the association may well support it again,” he said.

“The national commissions created under the highway and transit reauthorization legislation have a critical job to do in addressing future and revenue sources, and we look forward to working with them,” he concluded.

Published 11-4-05