In response to the federal transportation funding plan called "SHARE" favored by southern and Midwestern states (see MTR #418), Mayor Bloomberg last week said any "minimum guarantee" provisions should apply across all federal programs. The "SHARE" plan, backed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, would guarantee that every state receive at least 95% in federal transportation aid of the amount that motorists in that state pay in federal gas taxes. The formula would reduce New York’s federal aid by $300 million per year, because NY is the least car-dependent state.

With visiting members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mayor Bloomberg held a press conference pointing out that, all told, New York citizens and businesses pay billions more in federal taxes than NY State receives back from all federal programs. The mayor estimated New York could net up to $17 billion more a per year if the 95% factor applied to all federal programs, not just transportation.

"You would think that Congress would want to reward us for decreasing the nation's dangerous reliance on foreign oil," Mayor Bloomberg said to reporters. The Daily News also weighed in, urging DeLay to "leave transportation to those members of Congress who actually understand it."

The News’ editorial board was visited this week by a bipartisan House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members who presented their plan for a five-cent increase in the U.S. gas tax to pay for an expanded 6-year transportation bill. Recent reports say House and Senate committees will introduce their "TEA-3" bills after July 4. 

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