REFERENCE TITLE: Arizona's share; federal fuel tax

State of Arizona Senate Fiftieth Legislature Second Regular Session 2012

SCM 1012

Introduced by Senator Nelson

 

A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL

 

urging the united states congress to restructure the federal fuel tax system so that arizona receives an amount equal to what it pays in fuel taxes.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

To the Congress of the United States:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, under the antiquated federal fuel tax system, Congress divides the revenues from the tax and redistributes the monies to the various states, with some states receiving more than they pay in fuel taxes and some, including Arizona, receiving much less; and

Whereas, the current program pits "donee" states against "donor" states, whereby the donor states, such as Arizona, essentially subsidize the road needs of the more affluent states; and

Whereas, adding insult to injury is the fact that less than two-thirds of the monies collected goes to transportation-related projects but are instead earmarked by Congress for projects that benefit only local constituencies; and

Whereas, under the current system, the federal government is able to force unwanted regulations and mandates on states by threatening to withhold transportation monies unless states comply; and

Whereas, the federal highway program faces ongoing reauthorization efforts, offering Congress an opportunity to restructure the current failed system to allow equitable distribution so that states such as Arizona receive from the fuel tax system an amount equal to what they put in.

Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:

1.  That the United States Congress enact legislation to modify or restructure the current failed federal fuel tax system to ensure that donor states such as Arizona receive an amount of federal monies that is equal to what they pay in fuel taxes.

2.  That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.