TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

Taxation, fees, and restrictive regulations are the wrong way to stimulate the economy. Positive incentives are much more effective.

The TCI while sounding good on paper will do nothing for us and the environment. Vehicles are already producing less and less pollution every year, meanwhile other countries across the world such as China and India are producing more and more pollution every year... This is where our focus needs to be on, not us, them.

I strongly support the Transportation and Climate Initiative's plans to limit pollution (including carbon emissions) of the transportation segment of our economy. I am a Vermont resident, and am keenly aware of the need to use public resources to improve non-fossil-fuel transportation alternatives in our rural state. I am aware that the transportation sector is the largest source of global warming emissions, in the state, regionally and nationally. I am glad that Vermont is already part of the TCI, and urge VT State government to improve our commitments to lowering emissions, for the sake of ourselves, our environment, and our children's futures. I am pleased that this is a non-partisan effort, because these problems affect us all, now and in the future, not any one segment of our population.
I urge that the transportation plan include a strong component of equity in the investment in infrastructure, to benefit those who have been over-burdened by pollution, and those who currently do not have access to "clean" transportation options. It is critical that limits on fossil fuel use (which are necessary) NOT reduce the ability of those with lower incomes, or living in more rural areas to get to work, health-care, recreation and commercial areas.
I also support the regional nature of this planning, since the needed solutions cannot be implemented solely on a local or state level. Our existing transportation infrastructure crosses state lines, and will need to be re-configured on that basis. Different transportation modalities will need to be complementary, not separately designed as has been the case for far too long. Looking at the interlocking needs of citizens, businesses and institutions on a regional scale should increase the quality of the planning and the outcome on the ground.
I further urge that the planners "push the envelope" to make the most aggressive improvements in our carbon emissions in this region, as part of a global effort to save us from our past mistakes--many of which result from a lack of any coordinated, regional (or national) plan. It's time to step beyond the influence of those who already have economic and political power, and to look at the global needs of all of us--not just humans, either, but all life on earth. We have shown that we can set the Earth on a path toward destruction of species (including ourselves), now it is time to see if we can set our course to maintain bio-diversity, human diversity and the eco-systems on which we all depend.

Because the federal government is destroying EPA standards, states need to take the initiative on climate change, pollution and renewable energy. Please make it happen.

Mass Transit.
Mass Transit in many more locations.
Mass Transit with vastly more runs. Mass Transit powered by electricity....renewable sources, available battery infrastructure.
The cost would seem daunting, but so are the costs of ignoring the carbon contributions to worsening conditions even in Massachusetts. Again the costs would seem daunting, but so are the costs of keeping roads and bridges functioning....in the landscape of no political will to increase gasoline taxes.
Some day really soon, I hope the big thinkers take a serious look at the monorail concepts (Transit-x, JPod, maybe others) which are comparatively inexpensive to build, privately funded, dependent on municipalities granting less intrusive rights-of-way, modest fares, frequent pods, convenient locations, good for radial lines from local transit hubs, good for main lines from major cities/towns to boston, good along the entire mass pike (thank you to the late chris walsh, state representative from framingham), also good for some freight. (Check the analogous build out of the regional trolley car systems throughout the northeast before and after 1900!)

The proposal outlines a program that will cap the sale of gasoline, tax it, and then require the revenue generated to be spent on new government programs and projects that will further reduce the sale of gasoline. Some of the projects envisioned have ramifications that have not been verified or well thought out. For instance, pushing consumers to electric vehicles has not been shown to lessen environmental impact due to the environmental costs of EV batteries and manufacture of new vehicles. Further, programs such as incentives to EV purchase often favor wealthier individuals while the new taxes on gasoline will disproportionate affect poor and rural communities.

The northeast compact has a greater impact on Maryland and Delaware than the other Northeast states. Geographically, Maryland and Delaware retailers will suffer the most because consumers may more easily choose to go elsewhere for fuel.

Although this proposal has been pitched as a consensus document, in fact, it is not. There have been only three work sessions and less than a handful of webinars to solicit public feedback and comment. The framework is not ready for adoption by the states as too many points have not been clarified and fleshed out. No one really knows the full detail of the proposal. More outreach and public input needs to happen to shift this to a consensus. At the present, the framework appears to be a predisposed outcome.

I reject this framework – and I urge that the participating Governors be required personally to attend and hold public hearings throughout their states. This proposal will not achieve its goals. California enacted a similar program recently, and, by most accounts, their gasoline costs have skyrocketed while the environmental impact has had no true measurable benefit.

I strongly oppose TCI for the following reasons:
1) it is taxation without representation
2) related to above, the manner in which this TAX is being rammed down our throats without the legislature is cowardly and probably unconstitutional.

The TCI is an unconstitutional tax. It does nothing for the climate at all. This is yet another scam by idiot liberals to take your money in a confiscatory tax.
Don’t let it happen!