Keith and stuff
12-01-2013, 12:35 PM
Pennsylvania passed a whole bunch of tax and fee increases, all aimed at doubling it's transportation budget with 2 of the fees now indexed for inflation. Don't get me wrong, a bunch of states index fees or even gas tax for inflation. And a bunch of states increased gas taxes this year, with WY leading the way with a 10cent increase, but the is the largest increase in overall transportation taxes/fees on any state, even larger than VA!
User surcharges:
The transportation plan adds increased surcharges for moving violations and increased costs for drivers license and registration renewals. And it permits the increase of speed limits on certain roadways from 65 to 70 mph. (The 1 positive.) Increased fees include:
• Vehicle registrations for passenger cars won’t change until 2015, when the rate will rise from $36 to $37. They’ll inch up another $1 in 2017-18, with increases every two years afterward for inflation.
• Fees for driver’s licenses also won’t be felt until 2015, when they’ll rise from $21 to $22 and then by another $1 in 2017-18, with increases every subsequent two years for inflation.
• The surcharges on some moving traffic violations would jump by as much as 50 percent. (Some tickets will double!)
• Vanity license plates will rise from its current $20 to $76 in April.
Fuel tax to rise:
While the flat 12-cent gas tax will be eliminated, the wholesale, Oil Company Franchise Tax will be uncapped. This is expected to increase the price of gas as oil companies will likely pass along the increased tax to the consumers.
Though the formula for this tax is complicated, it’s likely to result in a net increase in the state gasoline tax of 9.5 cents per gallon next year and then another 9.7 cents in 2015 and another 8 cents in 2017. (That's an increase of 27.2 cents per gallon for gas/diesel. It will increase the costs of goods for everyone in the Northeast and Midwest.)
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not against tiny increases in fuel taxes or even traffic tickets. I'm so very annoyed for 2 reasons.
1. There is no way a state needs to increase it's traffic tickets or it's transportation spending by 50% in 1-2 years. That's crazy quick!
2. 3/4 of the states with the biggest transportation bill increases are states with Republican governor's and more Republicans than Democrats in their legislatures. These bills were passed because Republican governors and Republican legislative leaders pushed hard for them :(
http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/1010112/Pa.-drivers-will-soon-feel-the-pinch-and-the-pleasure
User surcharges:
The transportation plan adds increased surcharges for moving violations and increased costs for drivers license and registration renewals. And it permits the increase of speed limits on certain roadways from 65 to 70 mph. (The 1 positive.) Increased fees include:
• Vehicle registrations for passenger cars won’t change until 2015, when the rate will rise from $36 to $37. They’ll inch up another $1 in 2017-18, with increases every two years afterward for inflation.
• Fees for driver’s licenses also won’t be felt until 2015, when they’ll rise from $21 to $22 and then by another $1 in 2017-18, with increases every subsequent two years for inflation.
• The surcharges on some moving traffic violations would jump by as much as 50 percent. (Some tickets will double!)
• Vanity license plates will rise from its current $20 to $76 in April.
Fuel tax to rise:
While the flat 12-cent gas tax will be eliminated, the wholesale, Oil Company Franchise Tax will be uncapped. This is expected to increase the price of gas as oil companies will likely pass along the increased tax to the consumers.
Though the formula for this tax is complicated, it’s likely to result in a net increase in the state gasoline tax of 9.5 cents per gallon next year and then another 9.7 cents in 2015 and another 8 cents in 2017. (That's an increase of 27.2 cents per gallon for gas/diesel. It will increase the costs of goods for everyone in the Northeast and Midwest.)
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not against tiny increases in fuel taxes or even traffic tickets. I'm so very annoyed for 2 reasons.
1. There is no way a state needs to increase it's traffic tickets or it's transportation spending by 50% in 1-2 years. That's crazy quick!
2. 3/4 of the states with the biggest transportation bill increases are states with Republican governor's and more Republicans than Democrats in their legislatures. These bills were passed because Republican governors and Republican legislative leaders pushed hard for them :(
http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/1010112/Pa.-drivers-will-soon-feel-the-pinch-and-the-pleasure