The following resources are a sample of policy and technical information regarding funding and financing of transportation from a local perspective. The resources, from public, private and non-governmental sources, address both broad funding issues and focus on non-road pricing tools to raise revenue. Additional resources on value capture and transit-oriented development are available on separate webpages.
Puget Sound Regional Council Report on Funding for Local Government Infrastructure
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This report surveys the status of local infrastructure funding programs in Washington State after the recession. With diminishing state and federal funding, the report explores funding options at the local level including local option taxes and fees, as well as change in the management and monitoring of infrastructure systems.
Tennessee Roadmap to Tax Increment Financing
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This report, created by the Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury, analyzes TIF options at the local level for public improvements. Using recent legislation enacted in 2012 that broadens the use of TIF in the state, the report provides a toolkit for local jurisdictions when considering the use of TIF as a financing mechanism.
Tax Increment Financing and Smart Growth: Policy Options for Maryland
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This study, published by the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission, provides policy guidance for promoting smart growth principles through TIF. The report makes a number of policy recommendations to expand the use of TIF and transit-oriented development to promote smart growth.
Introduction of Tax Increment Financing in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
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Completed by the Bureau of Governmental Research, this report is an introduction to the potential uses of TIF in the New Orleans metropolitan area for several public infrastructure projects. The report is a useful introduction to TIF and the preliminary planning needed to develop a TIF program.
Allegheny County TIF Program Evaluation, Pennsylvania
Website
The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County prepares an annual report (this one dated 2008) that evaluates nine TIF districts throughout the county. The report analyzes the revenue and investment activity of each TIF district over the year, and creates a forecast of future economic activity and recommendations for better administration of the Program.
Oregon Transportation Utility Fees Solutions for Local Street Funding
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The League of Oregon Cities, an intergovernmental organization of Oregon's 242 cities, released a report analyzing the increasing use of transportation utility fees (TUFs) among cities in the state. The study provides an overview on how to choose and design TUFs, and provides examples of how cities across the state implement TUF programs.
Transportation Research Board Local and Regional Funding Mechanisms for Public Transportation
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This report, released in 2009, is a comprehensive database of local and regional funding sources used by transit systems around the country. The report identified six major categories of local and regional funding including traditional tax and fee-based funding, project revenue streams, user or market-based funding sources, fare strategies, and others. The report offers guidance on evaluating existing and new local funding mechanisms, and a comparison of international experiences in sourcing local and regional funding for transportation.
Managing Growth: The Use of Development Impact Fees and Building Excise Taxes in Maryland
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This report provides an overview of the use of development impact fees and building excise taxes across Maryland through profiles of 16 counties. The report also provides information on national policy action surrounding the development of impact fees and excise taxes.
Financing Transportation with Land Value Taxes
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This article, found in the Spring 2012 issue of The Journal of Transport and Land Use, discusses the merits of modifying the existing system of taxing property for transportation financing by employing split rate taxes for private property. The authors' results show that split rate taxes may lead to higher density of development due to lower taxes on building assets compared to adjacent land.
Tax Increment Financing: The Need for Increased Transparency and Accountability
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This paper published by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund advocates for increased evaluation and transparency in TIF programs due to the allocation of local economic development subsidies. The authors make the case that TIF is not a panacea for local transportation funding issues. They advocate for thoughtful project evaluation and accountability on the part of developers and public officials be put in place to ensure that subsidies are being used for successful projects and programs.
Financing Options for an Expanded Seattle Streetcar System and Network
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Completed in April 2007 for the Seattle Urban League and the Seattle Streetcar Alliance, this two-part study was developed to guide decisions regarding the financing of a network of streetcar lines in and near Downtown Seattle, Washington. Part I of the study addressed the potential revenue and funding sources for the operations, maintenance, and capital costs of developing the streetcar lines. Part II of the study examined the social and economic characteristics of neighborhoods and districts that would affect the existing and planned network of streetcar lines.
