CA
Mineta Transportation Institute Study Finds that Most Californians Support "Green" Transportation Fees and Taxes
Author: Mineta Institute, San Jose State University
Published on Apr 10, 2008 - 8:16:04 AM

San Jose, CA, March 17, 2008 - Researchers at the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) completed a scientific survey of 1,500 California adults in January asking if they would support "green" transportation taxes and fees. These are taxes and fees set at variable rates, with higher rates for more polluting vehicles and lower rates for those that pollyute less. The results show strong support for the concept. In fact, switching a transportation tax or fee from a flat-rate version to a green version can boost support by more than 20 percent.

The poll for this study asked California residents their views on several tax and fee options, including a vehicle registration fee and a mileage fee where the rate varied according to how much the vehicle pollutes. It also asked about a "feebate" program for new vehicle purchases under which more-polluting vehicles would be charged a tax and less-polluting vehicles would receive a rebate. In every case, Californians favored green approaches to transportation finance compared to flat-rate options.

Specifically, the survey found that almost two-thirds of respondents (63 percent) support a green version of raising the vehicle registration fee from the current rate of $31 to an average rate of $62, with the rate higher for more polluting vehicles and lower for less polluting vehicles. However, when respondents were asked if they would support increasing the vehicle registration fee from $31 to a flat rate of $62 for everyone, only 40 percent supported the increase. Comparing the two results shows that converting the fee increase into a green version boosts support by 23 percentage points – from less-than-majority support to almost two-thirds support.

Californians similarly supported another green transportation finance option – a new tax-and-rebate system on all new vehicles based on how much they pollute. People who buy a new vehicle that pollutes very little would receive a rebate of up to $1,000, and people who buy a vehicle that pollutes more would pay a tax up to $2,000. People who buy a vehicle that pollutes about the average amount would not pay a fee or receive a rebate. Sixty-five percent of respondents supported this proposal, and only 30 percent opposed it.

Finally, Californians once again showed their preference for green transportation tax options when asked about two versions of a hypothetical mileage fee that would replace the state gas tax of 18 cents. Respondents were told that the gas tax would be replaced with a mileage fee, where each driver would pay one cent for every mile driven within the state. Vehicles would be equipped with an electronic means to track the miles driven, and the fee would be paid when the driver bought gas. Only 28 percent of respondents favored this system when the fee was a flat rate for everyone, but support jumped to 50 percent when respondents were asked if they would support a green version of the mileage fee. In this version, the fee rate would vary according to how much the vehicle pollutes, with less-polluting vehicles paying less per mile and more-polluting vehicles paying more per mile.

"Growing concern with global warming, air pollution, and energy security, combined with state concern over shrinking transportation revenues, makes green transportation finance options a particularly exciting new approach for funding transportation infrastructure and services in California," said Asha W. Agrawal, Assistant Professor at San José State University and director of the study. "Although the gas tax will remain the centerpiece of state transportation revenues for the foreseeable future, lawmakers are interested in finding ways to supplement those dwindling revenues. Green transportation taxes and fees are an important option to explore because they achieve two benefits at one time – encouraging drivers to choose more sustainable transportation options while raising revenue for seriously needed transportation infrastructure maintenance and improvements."

In future analyses, the researchers will investigate how support for these green tax and fee options varied according to people's geographic location within the state, socio-demographic characteristics, their personal driving behavior, the kind of vehicle they drive most often, and their opinions and knowledge about different environmental issues.

Under the direction of MTI, the survey was managed by the Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University. EMH Opinion Sampling Inc. conducted the telephone interviewing. Survey responses were collected from January 20 to February 1, 2008.

Web site: www.transweb.sjsu.edu

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