ATTITUDES TOWARD AN INCREASE IN GASOLINE TAXES: SURVEY RESULTS
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
1999
Subject Area
planning - surveys, ridership - attitudes, economics - finance, mode - mass transit
Keywords
Transit, Surveys, Public transit, Public opinion, Mental attitudes, Mass transit, Local transit, Improvements, Illinois, Highways, Fuel taxes, Finance, Chicago (Illinois), Attitudes
Abstract
Attitudes toward surface transportation funding--in particular, on the role of a gasoline-tax increase--are reported from a survey of about 1,200 randomly chosen individuals in Illinois. Slightly more than half of the respondents favor a gasoline-tax increase of 5 cents/gal (1.3 cents/L) to fund transportation improvements, and approximately 56% of these respondents would like the additional revenue spent on improvements for both transit and highways. Of those who do not favor a tax increase, more than 40% would like additional funding for surface transportation from other sources. Only about 3% of the residents stated that transportation "needs no improvement". Opinions about a 5-cent tax increase exhibit regional variation, with Chicago residents showing the most support, downstate residents the least, and suburban respondents falling in between. Support of the tax increase also seems to decline with increasing household income--a counterintuitive result, given the somewhat regressive nature of the tax. Likewise, respondents who think traffic congestion is increasing are less likely to support higher taxes than those who believe traffic flow is improving. Lastly, those with the lowest education levels express the highest support for an increase in the gasoline tax.
Recommended Citation
Soot, S, Sternberg, T, Sen, A, DiJohn, J. (1999). ATTITUDES TOWARD AN INCREASE IN GASOLINE TAXES: SURVEY RESULTS. Transportation Research Record, Vol. 1659, p. 39-45.
