TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

My family and I are requesting a cap on carbon emissions of at least 25% by 2032, an increase in the minimum investment in overburdened and underserved communities (>35%), and investments be put towards active transportation like better sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, and high quality public transit.
Thank you for your attention to our comments, The Stewart Family

Maine should use TCI as an opportunity to invest in local transportation solutions that help Maine people get to where they need to go in an affordable way that’s good for our environment. I am surrounded by people who are food insecure. There is food available, but many have no transportation to get to food banks. We need more access to public transportation.

I oppose Governor Mills supporting the Transportation Climate Initiative as it is going to increase the price of gasoline and oil prices which in turn affects prices of transporting food and other goods. Mainers need tax relief and I am very disappointed in Governor Mills as she promised that taxes would not be increased yet she increased the state budget by $800 million. We need to take in consideration the number of senior citizens, low income citizens and families that are already strapped with tax burdens.

GOVNOR MILLS please don't join this will be a travesty to Maine workers who use there vehicles to get to work. I believe you are going down the wrong path for Maine people! Again you Democrats care less about maine people. Thank you.

This initiative is pure liberal climate hoax poppycock. Mainers don't have, nor do we want, a huge public transport infrastructure that ships us around like cattle. Take your out of state ideology and GO AWAY.

I am a small business owner and operate a delivery business in the waterville area. the tci policy as it is now is the worst plan to reduce emmissions which from what i read is the "intent" of the tci proposal. taxing fuel further will increase operating costs for all transportation services by increasing their anual fuel costs by approximately 7.5% seems like a small ammount for a good cause until you look at it further take my small business to start in a year i will purchase just over 850 gallons of gasoline this is running a 30 mpg vehicle at optimal fuel consumption. which equates to just $144.50 more in fuel costs. i have still maintained the same carbon emissions the same can be said for oter companies as well lets look at a trucking and freight company, an 18 wheeler gets roughly 5.3 mpg runs 3,000 miles per week and annually will consume 29,434 gallons of fuel. which means every operating 18 wheeler will be taxed an additional $5,003.78 and has not altered its carbon emissions not to mention the operating cost which will be passed along to the consumer. now i would say it makes more since to adopt something like the california emissions laws. it would be better to impose a fee for failing an emissions test rather than paying more for doing your job and paying another tax for fuel. these fees can fund projects on atmospheric carbon scrubbing projects which will clean the already poluted air and at the same time will do more than encourage drivers to lower emissions, new cars sold will already meet or exceede these emissions requirements and older vehicles can either be brought up to code at the owners expense or end up with fines for failing the emissions test. trucking companies, cab companies, public transport, mail couriers and so many others will be forced to do 3 things! 1 look into overhauling its logistics to deliver more efficiently 2 bring all operating vehicles up to code for emissions and 3 pay for not meeting emissions testing. and these emissions tests and fines can be anual with vehicle inspections and a part of d.o.t highway checks imposing a fee for every mile driven after the initial fine is issued until an emissions test is passed will also encourage these high emission vehicles to be parked and cease operation until they meet code. bottom line taxing the fuel needed to run your business or to commute to work or deliver essential goods across the united states is a terrible idea! i understand a road tax it pays for infrastructure repairs and upkeep and new roadways bridges etc. but saying no matter how low your emissions are you get to pay the same ammount as everyone else is crazy! we have all seen diesel pickup trucks take off from a stop and "rolling coal" because its fun, how is it fair they pay $0.17 while im sitting here in a ford focus. another outcome could be the forced purchase of ev's which simply changes the source of this pollution and new england does not have an effective infrastructure for ev charging or even repair. please reconsider the proposal and target offenders with fees rather than all purchases of road fuel, and use these fees to fund existing atmosphere pollution elimination projects. thank you!

I am inspired by TCI's policy model, because I believe that without such powerful and proactive steps, my grandchildren's lives will be horribly affected by climate change. I think that TCI is an example of government at its best, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Richard Thomas, Ph.D.

I support policies that show short and long term planning for curbing the both the greenhouse gas levels rising and increased transportation/traffic woes due to use of fossil fuels. A scientist by training I understand hard limits and the damage resulting from a spiraling negative feedback loop. If repairs are not going to be made by regulatory fiat, and a market solution is more palatable to get the job done-then build the system to make it happen. Short term thinking is what got humanity here in the first place- choosing comfort, convenience and cheap over building century stable systems which require effort. Humans are not evolved to be good at long term planning. Like safety protocols LT planning requires training and reinforcement.
What feels like small actions by individuals aggregate into horde of people which has big impacts. I place "the everything is fine as long as I get mine" and "why worry, it hasn't happened before" crowd into the category of homeowners who refuse to budge for hurricane evacuations until its too late, panic and jam the roads, or need to be asked to write their social security numbers on their arms so the bodies can be identified after the storm surge.
Commenters outraged at paying any taxes should work harder at getting your government to stop blowing billions of dollars on needless wars and hundreds of millions on Trumps golf outings. Try and remember taxes should pay for bridges that stay up, usable transportation and the social infrastructure of civilized society. Good government does not come for free. Ignorance, bad data and ideas repeatedly proven wrong that won't stay dead, well, those are free but still manage to end up costing everyone.

Watching other states falter on TPI has been a huge disappointment. Massachusetts can lead the way, and I've never been more proud of my elected officials in this state for sticking by it. To my state representative (rep. Gentile) and senator Rausch - thank you for doing what you can. Thank you for looking past the short term economics of the situation and doing what's right. We're proud to be here.