WASHINGTON (AP) - A special commission is urging the government to raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over five years as part of a sweeping overhaul designed to ease traffic congestion and repair the nation’s decaying bridges and roads.
The two-year study being released Tuesday by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, the first to recommend broad changes after the devastating bridge collapse in Minneapolis last August, warns that urgent action is needed to avoid future disasters.
Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for unleaded gasoline would be increased annually for five years - by anywhere from 5 cents to 8 cents each year - and then indexed to inflation afterward to help fix the infrastructure, expand public transit and highways as well as broaden railway and rural access, according to persons with direct knowledge of the report, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the report is not yet public. Source
You may need higher gasoline taxes to build the infrastructure for mass transit if fuel prices continue to climb, regardless how much tax is placed on it.
Market and commodity experts are predicting the price of gas up here to reach $1.30 per litre by summer! Currently the average price is $1.03 per litre.
The promises made for mass transit have never been realized. 40 years of subsidies for mass transit have done little or nothing to improve transportation in the USA.
Many choices lie ahead for the citizens of this country. Let’s hope we are able to choose wisely.
I guess they had a different method of doing things .
We also get many Americans who come to Canada for treatment.
Bad news sells papers Good news does not.
If you have special treat ment the Canadian Government fly’s a patient to where necessary and picks up the tab and hospital costs.
Your Sioux is Bigger then ours so where would you go for special trearment a small hospital or a large one .
Same thing happens in other parts of the country also. both ways.
From what I have been told, it more to do with the long waiting times in th eCandian System. I’m sure many are happy with your system but it is very costlyy and prone to delay in care(rationing) and the availability of the latest treatment systems and diagnostic tools.
Yeah do you believe every thing you hear .
One week for me to get a colonoscopy . 8 days for Char to get her Cataract removed from one eye.
Will tell you tomorrow how long she will have to Wait to get the other done. I expect less then two weeks.
I have an American friend who has been paying for 5 years on a Appendix removal $38,000;00 five years ago.
He figures he will be paying for the rest of his life.
You might want to ask Greg a NACHI member if he might like the Canadian methods of Hospitalization .
Last May cut of one finger tip mutilated second finger and cut my heal.
I was pleased with how they trated me.
Roy
I wonder why you believe those who are afraid of the Canadian system.
Sounds like the money changers are spoofing you.
Seems like some Americans do not like the great system North of the Border .
I am not saying it is Perfect but every body get good treatment.
It would be great if you could say all Americans do too.
Life Expectancy1 80.3 years 78.0 years
Canada has a 2.9% higher life expectancy
Roy, you are entitled to your own opinion but when I read articles like THIS based on good research I get very concerned.
For me a nationalized system violates just one more of my freedoms.
The Hospitals in America are not much better, I just had my mother in-law and my mother in the hospital 1-for a week and the other for 4-days, waiting times are getting longer, Mother -in-law had to be transfered to a different hospital for cat scan, the one at hospital she was admitted to was older type. The other was scheduled to have a cat scan with barium treatment and had to drink the stuff twice because they where over crowded. 2- different hospitals.
Just saw on TV today waiting time for ER in this country is getting longer, more people are using ER in-place of insurance, don’t get me wrong I am not in favor of the government picking up tab for every person, however something needs to be done, its proved if you have preventive medicine its cheaper in the long run.
I leave this to others to figure out .
But I do know a lot of Canadian Doctors moved to the USA as they could make so much more money .
Strange I have done 4 inspections for Doctors who have moved Back to Canada for less money .
They say at the end of the year they have more money in their pocket and less stress ,and More family time .
I know I have been very satisfied with my living over the years even with some very bad investments .
I eat good have a nice home great wife, healthy and happy .
What more can a person want? and Canadians live longer.
