REVENUE SOURCES

Workshops on obtaining revenue needed for transportation services expressed two somewhat counterposing outlooks: one was cautionary--do not present an option or technique as a panacea; the other is that we must dare to be entrepreneurs, ready to try new ideas, using the best information available and ready to analyze how a particular idea would work in a particular locale. The workshops generally contemplated local conditions likely to affect potentially suitable approaches. For example, the following questions were posed: (1) What is the condition of the local economy? (2) Is the local industry mix cyclical or relatively stable? (3) What is the city's prevailing trip geography? (4) How strong is the regional government? (5) How great is support for transit or highway expenditures locally? (6) Does the enabling state legislation exist, and, if not, is it likely to be passed? Other local conditions, such as decision makers' political orientation and timing, are important. A local environment conducive to obtaining the needed funds has two elements: a clear appreciation of the need for local action and continued interaction with the public, not just with decision makers. Research on factors influencing the public's willingness to pay taxes for transit reveals that a wide variety of personal motivations exist for supporting a local property tax. To reach the potential constituency, planners and managers must demonstrate to local taxpayers that the benefit will be worth the cost. Other important considerations include equity, revenue stability, administrative costs, and side effects.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr208/sr208-014.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This paper appeared in TRB Special Report 208, Proceedings of the Conference on Evaluating Alternative Local Transportation Financing Techniques. Conference was conducted by TRB and sponsored by FHWA and UMTA, November 28-30, 1984, Denver, Colorado.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Forkenbrock, David J
• Conference:
  • Conference on Evaluating Alternative Local Transportation Financing Techniques
  • Location: Denver Colorado, United States
  • Date: 1984-11-28 to 1984-11-30
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: p. 60
• Monograph Title: PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE ON EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FINANCING TECHNIQUES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 208
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Approach lanes; Communities; Economic factors; Legislation; Local government; Public relations; Public transit; Revenues; Taxation; Workshops
• Uncontrolled Terms: Community support
• Old TRIS Terms: Approaches; Economic considerations
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways; Law; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451159
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 30 1988 12:00AM