Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464, Repeal local option gas tax, up for hearing today in the House Transportation Committee.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Local option gas tax allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects.
Just last year, Missoula County voters passed the local option gas tax, which is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work. HB 464 would be detrimental to the progress voters just implemented in Missoula County.
Josh Testimony on March 10: • Gave history that Josh met with Shane Stack, Public Works director (who formerly worked at MDT) and found that the need for road repairs was growing faster than the ability we had to pay for them • Josh was advised by Shane to look at a local gas tax • Josh did some digging and found conversations from the 2017 legislative session around BARSAA; it was said very clearly in 2017 that BARSAA could only be part of a puzzle of how to fix local infrastructure, and counties were told they could use this local option gas tax tool if it fits for their county • Josh talked to civic groups and others throughout the county and told them about this local option gas tax and heard all their concerns; some were concerned about how it would affect diesel fuel, and he told them it only affects gas (so it wouldn’t hurt large trucks that haul goods into Montana) and he found people liked this idea • We have 1.5 million tourists coming to our county each year where there are only 112,000 residents—10 times our population visits us each year, they drive our roads and don’t pay for it; “if you borrow a tool you return it in, if not the same, in better condition,” and that isn’t happening; roads are having to be paid for through property taxes; property taxes are overused and unfair and hurting people • After the commissioners voted this to be put on the ballot and brought this idea to the voters, it passed, thanks in part to a friends group that formed with a realtor and engineer who were not republicans or democrats, but simply understood the value of infrastructure • This has only been in place since September • Since Missoula County knew this was coming, for the budget this year, they didn’t add any money to the road fund; if it weren’t for the gas tax, they would have had to raise taxes on the road fund; • Also, because of this gas tax Missoula was able to apply for Federal Land Access Program grants for road and bridge repair—this had not been able to be applied for in the past because they didn’t have enough to match the federal government for funds; now, because of the gas tax, they have the funds to match, so that small amount that they get at the county level can actually be multiplied by quite a bit through federal funds • This is a good idea because it’s an option—each county is different just like each state is; if it’s not a good fit for you, don’t use it • This promotes accountability of commissioners to their direct citizens—everyone had a say in this; voters voted for it because they value their infrastructure and know the impact tourists have on it; if the state overturns this, they are overturning the will of the voters.
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464, Repeal local option gas tax, up for second reading on the House floor. The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10 cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464: Repeal local option gas tax, up for hearing this afternoon in the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10-cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464: Repeal local option gas tax, scheduled for second reading today on the Senate floor.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10-cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Sent March 10:
ReplyDeleteRepresentative Whitman,
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464, Repeal local option gas tax, up for hearing today in the House Transportation Committee.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Local option gas tax allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects.
Just last year, Missoula County voters passed the local option gas tax, which is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work. HB 464 would be detrimental to the progress voters just implemented in Missoula County.
Please oppose HB 464.
Josh Testimony on March 10:
ReplyDelete• Gave history that Josh met with Shane Stack, Public Works director (who formerly worked at MDT) and found that the need for road repairs was growing faster than the ability we had to pay for them
• Josh was advised by Shane to look at a local gas tax
• Josh did some digging and found conversations from the 2017 legislative session around BARSAA; it was said very clearly in 2017 that BARSAA could only be part of a puzzle of how to fix local infrastructure, and counties were told they could use this local option gas tax tool if it fits for their county
• Josh talked to civic groups and others throughout the county and told them about this local option gas tax and heard all their concerns; some were concerned about how it would affect diesel fuel, and he told them it only affects gas (so it wouldn’t hurt large trucks that haul goods into Montana) and he found people liked this idea
• We have 1.5 million tourists coming to our county each year where there are only 112,000 residents—10 times our population visits us each year, they drive our roads and don’t pay for it; “if you borrow a tool you return it in, if not the same, in better condition,” and that isn’t happening; roads are having to be paid for through property taxes; property taxes are overused and unfair and hurting people
• After the commissioners voted this to be put on the ballot and brought this idea to the voters, it passed, thanks in part to a friends group that formed with a realtor and engineer who were not republicans or democrats, but simply understood the value of infrastructure
• This has only been in place since September
• Since Missoula County knew this was coming, for the budget this year, they didn’t add any money to the road fund; if it weren’t for the gas tax, they would have had to raise taxes on the road fund;
• Also, because of this gas tax Missoula was able to apply for Federal Land Access Program grants for road and bridge repair—this had not been able to be applied for in the past because they didn’t have enough to match the federal government for funds; now, because of the gas tax, they have the funds to match, so that small amount that they get at the county level can actually be multiplied by quite a bit through federal funds
• This is a good idea because it’s an option—each county is different just like each state is; if it’s not a good fit for you, don’t use it
• This promotes accountability of commissioners to their direct citizens—everyone had a say in this; voters voted for it because they value their infrastructure and know the impact tourists have on it; if the state overturns this, they are overturning the will of the voters.
Representatives,
ReplyDeleteMissoula County strongly opposes HB 464, Repeal local option gas tax, up for second reading on the House floor. The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10 cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Please oppose HB 464.
Sent April 13:
ReplyDeleteSenator Bennett and Sands,
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464: Repeal local option gas tax, up for hearing this afternoon in the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10-cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Please oppose HB 464.
Sent April 21:
ReplyDeleteSenators,
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 464: Repeal local option gas tax, scheduled for second reading today on the Senate floor.
The local option gas tax is one of the few tools other than property taxes that local governments have to raise revenue and must be approved by voters. In the 2017 legislative session when the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) was discussed, the original proposal was for a 10-cent state gas tax, which was negotiated down much lower. Counties were told, if they wanted to fill that funding gap, they could use the local option gas tax. Missoula County is the first and only county to do so, having established it only in September 2020. The local option gas tax is estimated to collect around $400,000 annually from tourists and net $1.2 million overall. The money is used for the specific designation of infrastructure and will help provide funding for several needs ranging from equipment maintenance to pavement work.
Implementing this tax shifts the burden of funding infrastructure away from property-tax payers to those who use our roads the most, including tourists. Missoula County has 1.5 million tourists each year. With only 112,000 residents, the people who live in Missoula County are shouldering the burden of the cost for repairing roads used by not only themselves but everyone who visits the county.
Local option gas tax also allows local governments to raise revenue they wouldn’t have otherwise to match federal funding for needed infrastructure projects, such as Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grants. Without this local option gas tax, those federal funds wouldn’t be available to the county, shifting the burden of paying for infrastructure onto property owners. For Missoula County’s budget this year, since the local option gas tax was added, the road fund did not need to be raised. In other words, if it weren’t for this local option gas tax, Missoula County would have had to raise property taxes for the road fund.
Lastly, it was not simply elected officials, but the Missoula County voters who passed the local option gas tax. This bill would strip the citizens of Missoula County from their right to vote on such a measure to improve roads these people drive, bike and walk every day.
Please oppose HB 464.
Sent April 23:
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Attached is a letter from Missoula County and the City of Missoula to Governor Gianforte respectfully requesting he veto HB 464.
Thank you for distributing the letter to him.
Link to letter: https://missoulacounty.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/administration/BCC/EUpWXAdIvdJLqOI3nKzr2vQBv8lF5U8gtKRAL4PDwDxIcw?e=cdQjs8