Search Results
-
For Gasoline, Prices Matter
The big lesson in the decade-long flat-lining of gasoline consumption in the Northwest: prices matter. When prices were low, we used more and more gas each year. But as fuel prices rose, our consumption first stabilized, and then began to fall. The inflection point happened in 1999—when the price of gasoline started to drift upwards, after about a decade of low and stable prices.Read more » -
Gas Consumption Shifting Into Reverse?
Many of the region’s drivers are preparing to top up their tanks for travel this Labor Day weekend—and will pay dearly for the privilege. But there’s new evidence that high fuel prices are curbing our appetite for gas. We detail the evidence in our latest report: Shifting Into Reverse. Total gasoline consumption in Oregon and Washington in 2011 was about 4 percent lower than it was in 2002—the year that...Read more » -
Must We Spend Diesel Taxes on Roads?
Am I taking crazy pills? I need some local transportation wonk—I’m looking at you, regular readers of this blog—to set me straight. Because as near as I can tell, a key piece of state transportation law doesn’t say what everyone thinks it says. Let me explain. In Washington, “motor vehicle fuel” taxes are restricted by the state constitution to “highway purposes.” So everyone agrees that revenue from the state’s gasoline...Read more » -
Peak Gas Hits Oregon
We hate to say we told you so…wait, strike that, we actually kinda like it: “ODOT says road projects may need to be cut.”
Oregon transportation officials say they may have to scale back plans for highway work because revenue from road users is coming in more slowly than expected. Cash-strapped drivers are using less gasoline, so they're also paying less in gas taxes---and that means Oregon stands to lose $150 million or more in federal funding, officials warn.
Just last week, we released a new report showing that gasoline consumption in Oregon and Washington has been pretty much flat since 1999, while vehicle travel flat-lined in 2002. In short, people are driving less; and it’s not just the recession. We warned that these trends could wreak havoc on highway financing. And in only a week and a day, we've had 2 confirmations of those warnings.We hate to say we told you so…wait, strike that, we actually kinda like it: “ODOT says road projects may need to be cut.” Oregon transportation officials say they may have to scale back plans for highway work because revenue from road users is coming in more slowly than expected. Cash-strapped drivers are using less gasoline, so they’re also paying less in gas taxes—and that means Oregon stands to lose...Read more » -
Gasoline Consumption Forecasts Keep Dropping
Last week, our "Peak Gas" report highlighted the fact that Washington state officials now predict a long-term decline in total gas consumption. But already, the state has put out a brand new transportation revenue forecast. The big news: for at least the fifth consecutive quarter, the state's long-term gas consumption forecast has dipped. The red line in the chart represents the most recent projection, stacked up against the previous eight forecasts. The latest numbers show a nine percent decline in annual statewide gas consumption through 2027. That's down significantly from the June projection, which was lower than the quarter before, which was lower than the quarter before that...which was dramatically lower than any prior projection.
Last week, our “Peak Gas” report highlighted the fact that Washington state officials now predict a long-term decline in total gas consumption. But already, the state has put out a brand new transportation revenue forecast. The big news: for at least the fifth consecutive quarter, the state’s long-term gas consumption forecast has dipped. The red line in the chart represents the most recent projection, stacked up against the previous eight forecasts. The latest...Read more » -
A Gasoline Goof for BC
Hoo boy. Last year, we reported that per capita gasoline consumption in British Columbia spiked unexpectedly in 2009, notching a 9 percent per capita gain. The numbers struck us as odd, but not inconceivable—especially given the steep drop in fuel prices in 2009, coupled with the fact that the province was gearing up for the 2010 winter Olympics. So we checked with the provincial agency that gave us the numbers;...Read more » -
Washington Carbon Tax: New Model and Analysis
Sightline is very pleased to be hosting a new analytical paper and model, "Washington State Carbon Tax: Fiscal and Environmental Impacts" by Keibun Mori, a recent graduate of the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs. He created the Carbon Tax Analysis Model (C-TAM), for the Energy Office at the Washington State Dept of Commerce. It's an impressive piece of work on several levels. Mori's analysis, which centers on a British Columbia-style carbon tax, is almost certainly the most comprehensive treatment yet published on a state-level carbon tax in Washington, and maybe anywhere. Even better, the spreadsheet-based C-TAM model manages to be open-source and comprehensible, but still allow for a remarkable degree of complexity and user input. Mori includes a terrifically thorough treatment of fuel prices and demand elasticity (which is a subject of much debate and confusion in climate geek circles). The result is a solid look at the economic effects and environmental benefits of a state carbon tax in Washington.
Sightline is very pleased to be hosting a new analytical paper and model, “Washington State Carbon Tax: Fiscal and Environmental Impacts“ by Keibun Mori, a recent graduate of the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs. He created the Carbon Tax Analysis Model (C-TAM), for the Energy Office at the Washington State Dept of Commerce. It’s an impressive piece of work on several levels. Mori’s analysis, which centers on a British...Read more » -
Freeing Taxis
Update 8/11: I have an addendum to this post published here. Also, the chart was altered to reflect a slightly higher number for Vancouver. What if the Northwest’s cities legally capped the number of pizza delivery cars? What if, despite growing urban population and disposable incomes, our Pizza Delivery Oversight Boards had scarcely issued new delivery licenses since 1975? Pizza delivery would be expensive and slow; citizens would rise up...Read more » -
Washington State Carbon Tax
A carbon tax has long been heralded as an economy-wide tool to curb greenhouse gas emissions. As the federal government continues to struggle in implementing comprehensive climate policy, leaders in Washington State have shown interest in a state carbon tax.Read more » -
British Columbians (Heart) Their Carbon Tax
On the eve of a scheduled rate increase, polling released yesterday by Pembina Institute shows that, three year’s since its implementation, British Columbia residents like their province’s carbon tax shift. As the Vancouver Sun reports, the government was motivated, in particular, by a catastrophic expansion of pine beetle infestations in BC’s Interior forests fueled by increasing temperatures. The policy was designed to help meet the province’s goals to significantly reduce...Read more »
