New Poll Finds 77 Percent of Americans Oppose Raising the Gas Tax
The Reason Foundation conducted Reason-Rupe public opinion telephone survey of 1,200 adults nationwide and asked them about a range of transportation issues. The results, highlighted below, have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. This survey is part of a series of Reason-Rupe public opinion surveys dedicated to exploring what Americans really think about government and major issues.
First, some of the problems or challenges the survey reveals:
- Nearly 50% say that for them congestion has worsened over the last 5 years, and over 50% think it will get even worse in the next 5 years.
- Only 12% use transit with any regularity. And the number who telecommute is about the same as who carpool and more than who use transit to go to work, all at 4-5%.
- Only 41% think the transportation system in their area is in good condition
- 65% think the government generally spends transportation funding ineffectively
We then asked about some possible policy responses to these problems:
- 77% oppose raising the federal gas tax
- Only 33% think transit should get more funding than its share in travel
- By a margin of 62% to 30% Americans favor more spending on roads because people and goods use them, as opposed to shifting funding to transit and other non-driving alternatives to try to get people out of cars.
- 58% think new lanes or new highways should be funded with tolls rather than tax increases, and 59% say they would pay a toll if it would save them a significant amount of time
- 57% support converting HOV lanes to HOT lanes, meaning letting single-occupant vehicles use carpool lanes if they pay a toll.
- 50% oppose tolls being variable with higher rates during rush hours
- 55% support public private partnerships to build new roads and other infrastructure
- By 55% to 34% they support private companies funding and building high speed rails lines rather than the government.
The complete Reason-Rupe survey is online at: Reason-Rupe Transportation Public Opinion Survey – Winter 2011 Topline Results
Tags: Gas Tax, Reason Foundation, Reason-Rupe, Survey, Transporation
Let’s remember that Reason comes from the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank. Any survey they commission will produce results skewed in their favor. I don’t believe for a minute that a poll by a credible, independent firm like Gallup would find 77% of Americans opposed to higher gas taxes–especially if you explain the need and summarize what the taxes would fund, or if you point out that the federal gas tax has been eroded by 19 years of inflation.
I’d also add that MO has among the lowest gas (and other) taxes in the country, and a study not long ago found that raising the cost of driving is more effective than reducing transit fares at boosting ridership. Here in Seattle, gas is about $3.75 a gallon right now. It’s higher three hours away in Vancouver, BC.
Both MO and the feds should be raising the gas tax, and indexing it to inflation. MO also desperately needs HOV lanes and highway tolls. It’s outrageous to see 10 lanes of general purpose traffic on I-270 that non-drivers have to subsidize (gas taxes don’t cover the maintenance) and that could be reduced with a strategy to move people and goods, not cars. Incentivize and reward people for carpooling, vanpooling, and taking express buses. If people want a faster, less congested trip, let them pay for the privilege or carry more than one person per vehicle.