TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

I agree with “…design a regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from the combustion of transportation fuels through a cap-and-invest program or other pricing mechanism… [and]… to complete the policy development process within one year, after which each jurisdiction will decide whether to adopt and implement the policy.”

Lifelong cyclist here, never lived more than a couple of miles from work my entire life, so that I can get there by bike. I guess my main message is that something needs to be done on both the PUSH and the PULL ends of the equation, to get people out of cars and into other modes of transporation... It's not enough to just build bike lanes (although lord knows we need more!). It's not enough to hold fancy galas and bike-to-work days and green-topia fests, and employee-fitness programs. We have to DISINCENTIVIZE DRIVING!

In my mind, the only way this happens is the same way the rest of the world (not the USA) does it - by making it more difficult to drive. We need to make driving NOT the default option. Instead of designing roads for convenience and speed, let drivers stagnate in traffic, let them realize the errors of their ways. Instead of providing a ridiculous federal mileage reimbursement rate (55c/mi, AYFKM?), let's cut it in half. Instead of whining when gas goes above $3 a gallon (it's more than double that in most of Europe) let's raise gas taxes and plow the money into infrastructure and climate projects. Instead of free on-street public parking, make drivers pay more. Of course, it goes without saying that the EPA needs to grow a pair (once Trump is out of the WhiteHouse) and start clamping down again on MPG expectations and pollution controls for vehicles. Making SUVs more expensive would be a good start - again disincentivize big cars and people will switch to smaller less polluting ones (this happens all over the world, especially in Europe, with tiered license/registration fees based on engine capacity and fuel economy).

Another critical issue very close to my own heart is DRIVER ACCOUNTABILITY for accidents and pedestrian/cyclist deaths. In my community as well as nationwide, there has been a recent uptic in these events, and in almost all cases the driver goes un-punished, no charges filed! Recently an 82 year old former colleague of mine was killed while out walking by a driver who didn't look when backing out of their driveway. At Thanksgiving, a babysitter and child were mown down on the sidewalk by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. In both cases these "accidents" resulted in no charges. This is unacceptable. As long as drivers know there are ZERO consequneces for their careless actions, whey will continue to kill people. We need local police departments and other legislative bodies to start holding drivers accountable for their carelessness. There really is no such thing as a true "accident", and the vast majority are preventable by people just paying attention to the fact they're riding around in a 5000lb metal weapon. Federal or state laws to ensure that careless driving acts resulting in death means jail-time for the driver, would be a wake-up call for drivers to start treating other road users with the respect they command and deserve. We have to switch away from the "victim blaming" tropes, where throwaway statements such as "the biker was not wearing a reflective jacket" become untenable.

Thank-you for your time.
PSB

I live in Hallowell, ME. I care about this because air quality is vital to our health. I support Governor Mills for participating in the regional design process. I hope that the policy design reflects the best and latest available science on climate emissions from transportation and will tough on pollution. I request that the policy have a strong component of equity that ensures that low-income, rural, or aging populations are not hurt by this program -- after all an old jalopy is all some people can afford. I think that it is wonderful that this is a bipartisan project. I would love to see increased access to clean public transit in my community. Especially with winter setting upon us, I think it is important to recognize the double impact of diminished air quality from low cloud layers and increased exhaust from individual vehicles. Incentives like rebates for purchasing electric or hybrid vehicles could go a long way to making a better world for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren.

Transportation is the largest source of air pollution in the region, and we need to build a modern, clean, safe, and accessible transportation system for the 21st century. The more we limit pollution from motor fuels, the more jobs we create, the more the economy grows, the healthier our air becomes, and the more lives we save. [MY STATE] should join TCI to fund better transportation infrastructure, reduce traffic, and make my community a cleaner, safer place to live.

We can not afford another tax hike anywhere! We are tapped out. Electric cars use coal to create electricity. How is this even helping the environment. I’ve seen the electric fill-up station at LL Bean. Constantly empty. We car and truck drivers need a tax break. Stop trying to force us, through legislation, to do, act, eat, drive, heat, and live in a way that we don’t want to. This is not progressive. It’s oppressive and authoritarian.

Shame on all of you, but this doesn't effect ANY of the hacks that will decide on it. Must be nice to work part time and get full time pay!! Must be even better to have the taxpayers pay for your commute to work on the days you decide to work. Shame on all of you. Especially you Governor Baker.

The TCI raises the price of fossil fuels for transportation - when things are more expensive people use less. There is no more efficient way to get people to use less fossil fuel and no more efficient way to transition the economy way from fossil fuels and towards hybrids and electric vehicles. This is the uniform conclusion of virtually every economist and every economic group, including the World Bank and the IMF. As the World Bank’s president said ”to our economists, who have been studying this for quite some time, there is an obvious consensus that putting a price on carbon pollution is by far the most powerful and efficient way to reduce emissions.”