Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to provide the Highway Trust Fund with sufficient resources to continue vital transportation infrastructure construction.

Res. No. 258

Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to provide the Highway Trust Fund with sufficient resources to continue vital transportation infrastructure construction.

By Council Members Miller, Chin, Dromm, Gentile, Johnson, Koo, Rose, Rodriguez, Mendez, Richards, Rosenthal, Menchaca and Cohen

Whereas, Established in 1956, the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) receives revenue from federal gasoline, diesel, and related taxes and is the federal government’s primary means of funding transportation projects across the country; and

Whereas, The HTF provides $46 billion in surface transportation funding each year, with New York State receiving over $3 billion in total funding in federal fiscal year 2014; and

Whereas, The federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993; and

Whereas, The effects of inflation, increased vehicle fuel efficiency, and the slowing growth of driving in the country have led to HTF revenues being unable to keep pace with investment needs; and

 Whereas, The federal government has periodically made up for these shortfalls with transfers from the general fund to the HTF; and

Whereas, The current law, known as Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, that authorizes federal surface transportation programs, including the most recent transfers from the general fund, expires on September 30, 2014; and

Whereas, The HTF’s Highway Account is expected to run out of money as early as July 2014; and

Whereas, This depletion would potentially paralyze vital road, bridge, bicycle, and pedestrian construction projects integral to providing reliable and safe transportation infrastructure throughout the country and puts as many as 700,000 jobs in jeopardy; and

Whereas, While not quite as dire as the outlook of the Highway Account, the HTF’s Mass Transit Account, the primary source of federal funding for public transit programs, faces a similarly precarious situation without action by Congress; and

Whereas, Efficient and environmentally-friendly mass transit is the lifeblood of New York City and mass transit funding must be made a priority when Congress moves to shore up transportation funding; and

Whereas, In particular, Congress should heed the recommendations of advocacy alliance groups like Transportation for America to provide an additional $30 billion per year to support all modes of surface transportation and to encourage local initiative and innovation through competition and incentives, providing greater local access to federal funding; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to provide the Highway Trust Fund with sufficient resources to continue vital transportation infrastructure construction.

LS# 1667

5/21/2014

JM