Political Quotes

“On behalf of the Nation's elected State and local government officials, we would like to express our strong opposition to this legislation or any other proposals before Congress to repeal or suspend any portion of the Federal gasoline tax. Further down in the letter: It is our understanding that the amendment being proposed . . . would suspend the 18.4 cents Federal gasoline tax for 150 days. As a result of this loss of revenue, States and localities could face significant reductions in spending for transportation planning, highway and bridge repairs, public transit, bike and pedestrian facilities, clean air programs, and most importantly highway safety. Also, without a predictable flow of Federal highway, transit, and aviation funding, States and localities may face more difficulty in long-term transportation planning which will cause projects to be more costly and result in safety concerns. We learned through the many years that I have been associated with this issue on the Environment and Public Works Committee that planning goes forward years in advance. Contracts are let based on a source of these funds guaranteed by Congress and Federal law. These contractors are not going to risk their working capital. Employers are not going to risk trying to hire additional people if there remains this constant uncertainty around this tax.”