Archive for February, 2011
Arizona Lawmakers Pass Misguided Legislation
Monday, February 28th, 2011Supporting Interstate Businesses Sustains Jobs and Local Communities
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said last week that a long-term plan for funding the nation’s infrastructure will be finalized by September come “hell or high water.”
Considering the seventh extension of the current highway funding law, one can only hope that a long-term plan for financing national infrastructure moves forward expeditiously.
With that goal in mind, Rep. Mica plans to host a series of public listening sessions in the coming days to gather public input on what a long-term highway bill should include and how the government should go about increasing revenues to pay for those projects.
During the Surface Transportation Reauthorization debate, the Partnership to Save Highway Communities asks Rep. Mica to keep the perspective of Interstate-based businesses in mind.
While we certainly recognize that the committee will be looking for new ways to finance highways and bridges, we hope it rejects any attempts to weaken the current prohibition on commercial development of the interstate right-of-way, should it be discussed.
With states looking for new revenue streams, we are now seeing some State Departments of Transportation call for rest area commercialization, which has been prohibited by Congress since 1960. Allowing state governments to set up shop from the rest area will simply siphon customers away from the businesses at the interstate exits. This, in turn, would rob local communities of jobs and tax revenues needed to fund vital public services.
Supporting interstate-based businesses through good transportation policy will sustain jobs and strengthen local communities at a time when our economy needs it.
CStore News Explores Problems Posed by Commercial Rest Areas
Tuesday, February 15th, 2011|
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| Convenience Store News last week featured a guest column by NATSO immediate past Chairman Scott Paulson discussing the threat of expansion of rest area commercialization on interstate businesses and the communities those businesses support.
In the article “State-Run Travel Plazas ‘Rob Peter to Pay Paul,’” Paulson said that most state governments are strapped for cash and will continue to desperately pursue any and all options to raise revenues, including turning their backs on the small businesses and communities along their interstates. Paulson, who is a partner in Silco Oil Co. with locations in Colorado and Arizona, said location is the single most important factor when it comes to long-term success of an interstate-based business. If states are allowed to set up shop at rest areas, they would have access to prime locations and the years and dollars invested to build his business would be wasted. |
Wyoming Amends Legislation Aimed at Constructing Natural Gas Filling Stations
Monday, February 7th, 2011|
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| The Wyoming State Legislature last week amended HB 0235, which would have allowed the Wyoming Department of Transportation to construct natural gas filling stations, and instead turned it into a pilot project to demonstrate the efficacy of natural gas, thanks to the efforts of the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association.
As originally drafted, the bill would have allowed WYDOT to enter into contracts to construct and operate natural gas filling stations. The bill was amended, however, to say that only state-owned government vehicles could utilize the WYDOT natural gas filling stations. The effort to build alternative fueling stations also was transitioned into a pilot project to study the effectiveness of natural gas. |