01340303

Component

This paper summarizes the results of a national random-digit-dial public opinion poll that asked 1,545 respondents if they would support various tax options for raising federal transportation revenues. The eight specific tax options tested were variations on raising the federal gas tax rate, creating a new mileage tax, and creating a new national sales tax. In addition, the survey collected standard socio-demographic data and asked a few attitudinal questions related to the quality of the transportation system and respondents’ priorities for government spending on transportation. These questions were used to assess support levels for the tax options among different population subgroups. None of the tax options achieved majority support, but three did fairly well, with support levels around 40%. These were a 0.5¢ sales tax (43% support), a 10¢ gas tax increase with revenue to be dedicated to projects that would reduce the transportation system’s impact on global warming (42% support), and a 10¢ gas tax increase spread over five years (39% support). The study also compared public support for alternative versions of the mileage and gas taxes. The base cases tested against alternatives were a flat-rate mileage tax of 1¢ per mile and a 10¢ gas tax with no additional information given about the tax. All variants of these base cases increased support levels, in most cases significantly.

01329018

11-0763

English

18p

2011

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures (2) ; References (4) ; Tables (7)

Demographics; Finance; Fuel taxes; Global warming; Government funding; Highway user taxation; Public opinion; Sales tax; Socioeconomic factors; Transportation policy; Vehicle miles of travel

Finance; Highways; Policy; I10: Economics and Administration

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-0763

TRIS, TRB

Feb 17 2011 5:34PM