Anti-Bike Gas Tax Bill Is Quickly Moving Toward Passage
Carey Rogers
SB 1716 – HB 1650 that prevents the use of gas tax revenues for bicycle infrastructure has just passed the House Finance Committee. It is moving quickly to a floor vote of the full House of Representatives.
The bill is up for a critical vote in the Senate Finance Committee tomorrow afternoon. Please contact the members of the Senate Finance Committee and state your opposition to this bill. It may be the last chance to stop this harmful and discriminatory legislation.
These are the members of the Senate Finance Committee.
If you are personally acquainted with any of the members please call and ask them to vote against the bill.
Ask them to vote against Senate Bill 1716 because:
1. It will prevent local governments from responding to local transportation needs. Local governments are already spending local tax revenues on roads and streets and it requires them to pay for expensive unnecessary engineering studies.
2. Bicycles are part of the transportation system and are considered vehicles under state law. Bicycle riders also own cars and pay gas taxes.
3. The bill restricts bike lanes on higher speed roads where they are needed the most because of the speed differential between bikes and cars.
4. The gas tax will be an important issue in the next 12 months and this should not be dealt with in a piece meal fashion.
5. Tennessee is already an unhealthy and obese state and we need to encourage more active transportation not less.
There is an explanation on the Walk Bike Nashville Blog.
For more information contact Carey Rogers at carey...@comcast.net