TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

These taxes are so ridiculous and unnecessary Governor LePage managed to put away a lot of money for the state of Maine without any taxes. Governor Mills has chosen to waste all of that money that he put away so this stupidity needs to stop now.

Hello,

I am writing to urge you and your colleagues to support the Transportation Climate Initiative. I'm sure you're aware of the benefits and the drawbacks of the plan, and I want to encourage you to think of the drawbacks as opportunities that, once overcome, will be a boon for all Vermonters and the planet as a whole.

I understand that the TCI could increase the cost of using fossil fuels for citizens. We should think of a way to keep that from hitting low income Vermonters as hard as it would wealthy Vermonters. I know Gov Scott is very considerate of allowing folks to save and keep their hard earned cash. But would it not be possible to work out a system where, IF Vermonter residents were to pay a bit more, that is was proportionate to ones income level? We shouldn't get hung up on "don't make people pay more" right now. That's a small problem compared to what we face with the climate crisis.

Vermont is already participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). This cap and invest program covers the electric sector in the Northeast, and it has proven very successful, reducing consumer costs and carbon pollution from the power sector by 40 percent. Then, Vermont has strategically invested the revenues raised from RGGI, directing the $2 million annually into weatherization programs that help Vermonters stop wasting energy and save money. We could use returns from the TCI to improve energy efficiency, weatherize more homes, improve our public/alternative transportation, etc. These aren't pie in the sky hypothetical outcomes - we can make truly positive change by simply pariticipating in this new initiative.

The price we pay up front to try and keep the world hospitable would most certainly yield a return - in terms of actual cash in our pockets and the assurance that our future generations have a safe place to live. When considering, please remember that there are also many supporters of investing in a greener present and future, and we will work with everyone to make it equitable for all. I happen to work for an organization that serves to reduce energy use for Vermonters, and we specifically work on solutions for low and moderate income folks. This is to say, even if we don't have a set idea how to keep prices as low as possible for Vermonters, we will think of a way. Any minor discomfort around money needs to be met with the acceptance that we MUST clean up our fossil fuel mess, even if there is no easy or cheap way of doing it effectively. But, reducing our consumption WILL save money over time, and is the undisputably right thing for us to do for ourselves and all of earth's inhabitants. Humans are responsible for climate change, and Vermont needs to try harder to change our course.

Thanks for your time. Best wishes for 2020.

Best,

Erin Moriarty
Winooski, VT

We must forge ahead at full speed if we have any hope of staving off climate disaster. The TCI proposal won't fix everything, but it's a darn good start. Let's do it. Now.

Cleaning up our transportation is critical to slowing down and eventually reversing climate change. It is also essential for creating a sustainable environment in which we have clean air to breath. Connecticut has one of the highest rates of asthma in this country. I know what it is like to stay awake nights trying to deal with my son's asthma attacks. I have also seen the growing smog and dirty air that is created by our fossil fuel burning vehicles in the mountains of Vermont. We need good, reliable and abundant public transportation that will reduce our need for individual cars, support people in every economic class, and improve the quality of life in all of our communities including urban, suburban and rural. For instance, my son has benefitted greatly from the bus system between rural Stores and Hartford. Good public transportation is an economic engine and provides access to economic opportunities for all people. Making a transition to electric energy to power that transportation is also essential to reduce carbon emissions and to create a truly green economy. It will help to reduce health care costs as well and improve the quality of life wherever that transportation is found. Owning an electric vehicle I know how much more efficient and safer these vehicles are. We need our government to lead on these issues and to take the steps necessary to combat the climate crisis.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, transportation emissions in the Northeast States have increased in the past decade and,
with it, increases in particulate matter pollution which is responsible for thousands of asthma attacks and preventable deaths annually.
Moreover, transportation emissions comprise nearly half of global warming emission in the Northeast. The TCI proposes to concentrate on promoting the transition to electric vehicles as a means to limiting the effects of fossil fuels on our air quality. Furthermore, it is imperative that we focus our attention cumulatively on the benefits of investing on fossil fuel-free forms of public transportation in order to limit the increased traffic congestion documented in many of our urban centers. Even in states such as CT in which population and commerce are said to be on the wane, increases in congestion have increasingly plagued motorists over the course of the past decade. I an support of the goal
of decreasing our reliance on fossil fueled vehicles (approximately 52B across the NE corridor) through such mechanisms as cap and invest and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative which is being phased in across the mid-Atlantic and NE regions with promising early returns in terms of reducing carbon emissions.

This is a terrible initiative and will adversely affect the lives of all residents of states that adopt this initiative. It will drive up costs for goods transported by trucking and the general population that must travel for work,doctor appointments, grocery shopping, etc. All expenses that rural residents can not afford due to long distance travel to anywhere . This CANNOT be adopted.

WE are all ready paying way to much for gas and fuel. What ever happened to the dollar a gallon they added in the 80's so we would be energy solvent in ten years?????? Ever notice the ones that can afford high gas prices are the ones that want to raise it never mind us that can't.

I am against the TCI. Maine is a rural state with little to none public transportation available. An increase in gas tax will hurt Maine taxpayers, businesses and tourists.