WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Wednesday announced $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds for transit improvements in North Carolina.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said Secretary LaHood.  “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength.  It creates jobs today and builds a better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

The North Carolina Department of Transportation will use the funds to pay for 141 vehicles, including buses and vans, shelters, and facility renovations throughout the state.

Since President Obama signed ARRA into law on Feb. 17, 2009, grants totaling more than $6.7 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation.

“These funds are creating jobs now while investing in the future of our transit systems,” said Administrator Peter Rogoff of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  “The public’s demand for transit service continues to grow, and these dollars will help meet that need.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge and airport construction and repairs nationwide.  Of that, $26.5 billion already has been obligated to fund more than 7,988 approved projects in 55 U.S. States and Territories.

RALEIGH, N.C. –  A bill now on the the governor’s desk would allow the state’s second- and third-largest metro areas to expand mass transit systems if voters approve raising local sales taxes.

HB 148/SB 151 would allow the state’s voters in Forsyth, Guilford, Wake, Durham and Orange counties to  decide whether to increase local sales taxes by half a cent and car registration fees by up to $5. In order to take effect, voters must agree during an election.

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Charlotte voters approved this measure 10 years ago for improved rail and bus systems. Groundbreaking began Wednesday on the state’s first toll road, which will cost more than $1 billion.

According to a study out earlier this year by the Regional Transportation Alliance, 53 percent of Triangle residents said they would vote for such a measure.

The state just approved the budget, which also includes an 1-cent “temporary” increase on sales taxes along with a surcharge on state taxes and higher cigarette and alcohol taxes.

With all that, will voters decide another half-cent is worth it to build trains? In case you’re wondering, a half-cent increase means for every $10 you spend, it will cost you an extra 5 cents.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina legislators are close to final approval for a plan that would pour millions of dollars in new taxes and fees into beefing up public transit systems.

The state House was to vote Monday night on legislation raising sales taxes and vehicle registration fees in the state’s second- and third-largest metropolitan areas by more than $150 million a year.

The effort to pump more money into an alternative to cars would allow Wake, Orange, Durham, Guilford and Forsyth counties to collect a half-cent sales tax. Other counties could raise the sales tax by a quarter-cent for public transit.

Authorities could increase the local portion of the tax on vehicle registrations by up to $7 per vehicle to $10.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A North Carolina legislative committee has approved a plan allowing the state’s second- and third-largest metro areas to expand mass transit systems if voters approve raising local sales taxes.

The House Finance Committee voted 19-6 on Wednesday to advance the bill to a House floor vote.

The bill would allow voters in Forsyth, Guilford, Wake, Durham and Orange counties to decide whether to increase local sales taxes by half a cent and car registration fees by up to $2, piggybacking onto Mecklenburg County’s popular experiment with light rail. The state’s 94 other counties could raise sales taxes by a quarter-cent for transit projects.

The committee added a provision allowing Research Triangle Park to increase property taxes on its tenant companies to pay for transit.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – Sales taxes or vehicle registration fees could be raised in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties to pay for public transportation projects in legislation that cleared a House panel.
 
The bill approved Wednesday by the House Transportation Committee would allow halfpenny sales-tax increases in five urban counties and quarter-cent increases in 94 other counties if approved by local voters. Mecklenburg County already has an extra half-cent on the sales tax for transportation and couldn’t raise it further.
 
Proceeds could be used as matching money for a proposed state fund for public transit grants. The bill is supported by environmental and transportation advocates as a way to reduce congestion.

The measure has a long way to go. It next goes to the House Finance Committee.

A group of bipartisan legislators are proposing state and local funding options for rail and transit improvements.