Government Transportation Revenues
Federal,
state, and local government transportation revenues dedicated to finance
transportation programs1 increased from $97.4
billion in fiscal year 1991 to $122.1 billion in fiscal year 2001 (in 2000
chained dollars2) for an annual growth rate of
2.3 percent (figure 10-1). However, the share of transportation revenues in
total government revenues decreased slightly from 3.9 percent to 3.5 percent
during the same period [1, 2].
The
federal government share of these revenues averaged 32 percent per year between
fiscal years 1991 and 1997 and then rose to an average share of 37 percent per
year from fiscal years 1998 to 2001. Meanwhile, state governments' share of
revenues dropped from an average of 48 percent in fiscal years 1991 through
1997 to 43 percent between fiscal years 1998 and 2001. The rise in the federal
government share after fiscal year 1997 can be attributed to increased federal
motor fuel taxes, the introduction of new transportation user charges, and the
shift of transportation receipts from the general fund to transportation trust
funds [3].
Among
all transportation modes, highway usage generates the largest amount of
government transportation revenues, accounting for $83.9 billion or 69 percent
of the total in fiscal year 2001 (figure 10-2). Air transportation produces the
second largest share (18 percent). Transit revenues, a combination of highway
fees paid into the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund for transit
purposes and proceeds from operations of the public mass transportation system,
represent 11 percent of the total.
With
annual growth rates of 15 percent and 6 percent, respectively, pipeline and air
revenues grew faster than did other modes from fiscal year 1991 to fiscal year
2001 [3]. Rail is not represented, because fuel and property tax receipts from
rail are channeled into the general fund and, hence, do not fall under the
definition of transportation revenues used by the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics. Amtrak generates revenues from passenger fares; but because Amtrak
is not considered a government entity, its revenues are not included.
Sources
1. Executive Office of the President of the
United States, Office of Management and Budget, Historical Tables, Budget of the United States
Government, Fiscal Year 2005, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/, as of
January 2005.
2. U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census
Bureau, State and
Local Government Finances, available at http://www.census.gov/, as of January
2005.
3. U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT),
Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of
Transportation Statistics (BTS), calculations using data from USDOT, BTS, Government
Transportation Financial Statistics 2003, available at
http:/www.bts.gov/, as of February 2005.
1 Money collected by government
from transportation user charges and taxes to finance transportation programs
are counted by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics as transportation
revenues. The following types of receipts are excluded: 1) revenues collected
from users of the transportation system that are directed to the general fund
and used for nontransportation purposes, 2) nontransportation general fund revenues that are used to
finance transportation programs, and 3) proceeds from borrowing.
2 All dollar amounts are expressed in chained 2000
dollars, unless otherwise specified. To eliminate the effects of inflation over
time, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics converted current dollars (which
are available in appendix B) to chained 2000 dollars.
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