Arizona, like many other states, could use more funding for transportation. ADOT need to spend $260 million a year just to maintain the roads’ current standards, according to a recent audit by the Auditor General’s Office. I am raising my hand to admit my family is not paying its fair share.
My family is a microcosm to the structural failures of funding for infrastructure in Arizona.
Earlier in the year, my husband decided to purchase his new daily driver – an electric Nissan Leaf. (Consider it penance for our VW Diesel Jetta.) We did a lot of research ahead of time focusing on the range of the battery and recharging stations around the valley.
On average, my husband’s work commute is 50 miles round trip. Let’s add a couple more errands and the average miles traveled a year in the Leaf is 14,000. That includes city streets, interstates and 101’s and 202’s. When using a gas-powered vehicle, we would spend approximately $2500 a year on fuel. Eighteen cents of each gallon purchased was going to the HURF fund. (Arizona Highway User Revenue Fund or HURF are the taxes collected at the pump. Along with other sources of revenue they are distributed to cities and counties and to the State Highway Fund. This is the primary source for state for highway construction, improvements and maintenance).
Now, my husband contributes $0 towards that fund. But he is still using the infrastructure.
Many have told me electrical vehicles are inconsequential to the formula. But beyond electric vehicles, let’s add up the hybrid cars and cars with increased gas mileage. Let’s add other modes of transportation – bicycles and pedestrians, who also use the infrastructure.
If you are not gassing up, you’re not paying into the fund. Yet the infrastructure funding is all structured to pay at the pump.
I am happy to raise my hand and say that my family is not paying their fair share. I hope other families will do the same and advocate transportation funding solutions or one of these days the commute into work will not be a pleasant one. Then it won’t matter how your car is powered.
Learn more about transportation needs, funding and recomendations by reading the Arizona Town Hall on Transportation. http://bit.ly/2arq5p2
My family is a microcosm to the structural failures of funding for infrastructure in Arizona.
Earlier in the year, my husband decided to purchase his new daily driver – an electric Nissan Leaf. (Consider it penance for our VW Diesel Jetta.) We did a lot of research ahead of time focusing on the range of the battery and recharging stations around the valley.
On average, my husband’s work commute is 50 miles round trip. Let’s add a couple more errands and the average miles traveled a year in the Leaf is 14,000. That includes city streets, interstates and 101’s and 202’s. When using a gas-powered vehicle, we would spend approximately $2500 a year on fuel. Eighteen cents of each gallon purchased was going to the HURF fund. (Arizona Highway User Revenue Fund or HURF are the taxes collected at the pump. Along with other sources of revenue they are distributed to cities and counties and to the State Highway Fund. This is the primary source for state for highway construction, improvements and maintenance).
Now, my husband contributes $0 towards that fund. But he is still using the infrastructure.
Many have told me electrical vehicles are inconsequential to the formula. But beyond electric vehicles, let’s add up the hybrid cars and cars with increased gas mileage. Let’s add other modes of transportation – bicycles and pedestrians, who also use the infrastructure.
If you are not gassing up, you’re not paying into the fund. Yet the infrastructure funding is all structured to pay at the pump.
I am happy to raise my hand and say that my family is not paying their fair share. I hope other families will do the same and advocate transportation funding solutions or one of these days the commute into work will not be a pleasant one. Then it won’t matter how your car is powered.
Learn more about transportation needs, funding and recomendations by reading the Arizona Town Hall on Transportation. http://bit.ly/2arq5p2