Let it never be said I disapprove of everything this Governor does: Today the Transportation Climate Initiative will be unveiled, a multi-state cap-and-trade compact (similar to RGGI for power plants) that is designed to drive down emissions from the very stubborn transportation sector. The idea polls extremely well, as do most policies intended to take on climate change. I am pleased that the public increasingly seems amenable to strong action on climate; but we all know that popular ideas that conflict with powerful special interests tend to wither on the vine, either in our State House or nationally.
The idea is to levy a tax on gasoline on the wholesale level, which will act like a Pigovian carbon tax and discourage the use of gas, while acting as a funding source for transit. I call this good news, broadly speaking; though many in the legislature prefer a progressive tax funding transit. That certainly isn’t wrong, since at this rate the gas tax will start to pinch before transit is ramped up to provide a better alternative.
The anticipated problem with this wholesale gas tax, as with all carbon taxes, is that in order for it to be effective it has to be noticeable. Gas prices, as everyone knows and experiences, are quite volatile already. And though gas prices do have a strangely large effect on what kinds of cars people drive, fuel is not really a very high percentage of the total cost of owning a car. Will the tax be high enough to actually change behavior? Is it politically sustainable? Pigovian taxes on cigarettes are popular because cigarettes are not popular. You could argue that gasoline itself is not popular, but driving still is. Here’s hoping people are willing to take a slight hit.
And then there’s speed, which is of the essence: We must slash emissions “drastically”, according to the IPCC, in order to maintain anything like a civilized world for our kids who are now in school. The IPCC says we need to cut 7.6% per year to stay under the “safe” 1.5°C warming target; famed climatologist Michael Mann has estimated it may have to be more like 15% per year. That’s how long we’ve dithered on this.
Anyway, I have the Governor’s back if he supports a very bold program. I fear that he will look he’s doing something, while actually doing not nearly enough — indulging in Greta Thunberg’s “fairy tales”. The future, the laws of physics, have no mercy and no patience. The clock is our enemy: We’re down 28-3 in the third quarter. Frankly we’ll need a miracle. But people can be amazing.
seascraper says
Very regressive tax supported by Democrats and Baker. Train commuters are much higher income than car commuters as groups.
As with all efforts to attack car and truck transportation, better hope you like higher prices on all your stuff and services! The dryer repair man is going to charge you extra for living in Somerville.
Christopher says
“Discouragement” will just be a straight-up penalty for those without other options.
jconway says
If I’m reading the other thread on this initiative correctly, it is a wholesale tax on distributors and producers and not a retail tax on consumers. This has the affect of taxing the polluters as I’ve been arguing for, instead of ordinary consumers. Granted, it may result in slightly higher prices, but that should be offset by using the pollution credits to purchase better transit options.
I’ve also been thinking that a cheaper way around Boston traffic than the dormant urban ring might be creating BRTs on our major highways. to mimic of Chicago’s CTA runs trains in the median of their highways. Adding a genuine carpool lane would be beneficial for a lot of people too. I got priced out of the range of the T, but my wife and I carpool to work. Most of the other drivers are single person vehicles.
SomervilleTom says
Decades of experience demonstrate that there won’t be any “other options” until the people who jam our highways each and every day face some straight-up penalties.
There’s no more time for excuses. The “straight-up penalty” being talked about is a pittance compared to the harm brought on all of us by doing nothing.
jconway says
Many of those people (including yours truly) are priced out of the areas adjacent to the T. Until rents are brought under control and the wealthy pay their fair share to fix the T, it will be a awhile before I support regressive taxation or congestion fees on drivers directly. Indirect taxes on the actual polluters like this TCI proposal are entirely differently. A genuine carbon tax with revenue offsets would be fantastic.
Christopher says
You make it sound like it’s the fault of commuters who do not have time flexibility or other methods of transport. I work part of the year in Lexington and live in Lowell. My shift is usually 9-5 so I have to travel in the thick of rush hour on routes 3 and 128. Public transit does not go my way and I have nobody to carpool with. What exactly do you suggest I do?
SomervilleTom says
I most certainly do think those commuters — and you — are at fault. The fact that public transit, especially rail transit, “does not go [your] way” is not some passive fact of nature decreed from creation. It is instead the direct result of policies put in place by a government with the implicit or explicit support of voters like you. You are an active influencer in the upper ranks of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. Mr. DeLeo carries the brand of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. You — and every other Massachusetts Democrat, including yours truly — are arguably more responsible for the current dismal state of public transportation than the handful of voters affiliated with the Massachusetts GOP or unaffiliated.
What I suggest you and the rest of those commuters do is DEMAND that taxes be increased to build out viable transportation alternatives for you. INSIST that those alternatives be built. We Democrats should have imposed a stiff gas tax years ago, and used it to fund public transportation (among other things). We didn’t do that.
We Democrats have found ways to build roads and gas-centric infrastructure for decades, while refusing to fund even regular maintenance — never mind expansion — of public transportation for that same period. That’s on nobody but voters like you, me, and other commuters — especially Democratic voters, because we’ve had a supermajority for that entire period.
Bob DeLeo and the House super-majority have been re-elected year-in and year-out, while they have explicitly cooperated with the state GOP in destroying public transportation in this state. They are re-elected with the support of those commuters and you.
Yes indeed, I hold you, myself, and every other registered Democrat at fault here. Next in line is each and every automobile commuter. We have an elected government. That government has been doing the wrong thing about transportation for decades.
If not voters, who SHOULD be held responsible for this failure?
Christopher says
I have long advocated more funding and opportunity for public transit, but I can’t wave my wand and make it happen. Yes, we can collectively can and should demand more, but individually we still have to get to work tomorrow. I don’t believe I was blaming the GOP, BTW.
SomervilleTom says
Understood about blaming the GOP. I also understand that you’ve long advocated more support for public transit.
I’m saying that whatever you, me, and other Democrats have done, it hasn’t been enough. Since we form the party that says public transportation and dealing with climate change are priorities, then we are the ones who should be held responsible.
As in so many other things, some of the things we advocate demand sacrifice from each of us. I think this is an example of that.
I view the penalty of higher commuting costs as the price we must pay to force the voters who current clog our commuter routes to demand that the government provide alternatives.
jconway says
Transit Matters and Dempsey’s other group have been doing a good job advocating for transit on social media. I think lobbying officials more directly and maybe raising money as a grassroots PAC to steer contributions to members that push for more funding is another area they could explore. Baker is finally feeling some heat and is actually pushing for more T spending than the legislature at this point, so time to call your reps.