Long overdue RIP for taxing TCI compact
Finally admitting the futility of his position, Gov. Charlie Baker has decided to walk away from his administration’s ambitious plan to create a multistate compact to reduce transportation pollution.
The decision comes after Democratic Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont recently indicated his state would no longer take part in the Transportation and Climate Initiative.
Rhode Island, the only remaining state signatory, quickly followed suit.
The TCI — a long-term effort to curb transportation-fueled greenhouse gas pollution — would cap carbon pollution by requiring fuel companies that exceed emissions limits to buy permits, with those proceeds invested in green transit and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Connecticut’s opt out was expected; it was merely a formal declaration of a conclusion reached six months ago. Gov. Lamont — who called the partnership “a win for all of us” when he signed on to the TCI last winter — announced in June his state’s intention to abandon the partnership.
“The (legislative) leadership was very clear. Really all the leadership — Republicans and Democrats alike — in saying that they didn’t have the votes to get TCI done,” Lamont told NBC Connecticut at the time.
By then, it was obvious TCI had failed to retain its climate-saving consensus among several northeastern states.
The District of Columbia is all that remains from the 13 jurisdictions that expressed initial interest in 2019.
Our governor apparently saw Connecticut’s announcement as a convenient opportunity to gracefully bow out.
“The Baker-polito Administration always maintained the Commonwealth would only move forward with TCI if multiple states committed, and, as that does not exist, the transportation climate initiative is no longer the best solution for the Commonwealth’s transportation and environmental needs,” Baker press secretary Terry Maccormack said in a written statement Thursday.
The fuel industry had steadfastly opposed the idea, citing increased costs to consumers at the pump. TCI proponents projected that gas prices would increase by about 5 to 9 cents per gallon when the program took effect in 2023. Other studies pegged
The compact’s supporters failed to persuade state legislatures that the climate strides this initiative would make justified what critics perceived as just another regressive gas tax.
the price hike at closer to 25 cents a gallon.
TCI’S goal to cap carbon emissions from Maine to Virginia was expected to generate $160 million annually for Massachusetts.
But the compact’s supporters failed to persuade state legislatures that the climate strides this initiative would make justified what critics perceived as just another regressive gas tax.
Massachusetts, however, has taken other steps to curb pollution.
They include establishing a goal of 100% zero-emission passenger vehicle sales by 2035, joining 14 other states pushing for 30% electric vehicle sales for commercial trucks and buses by 2030 and 100% by 2050, and spending $65 million on electric vehicle charging stations.
Baker also signed an executive order setting a target of 100% zero emission vehicles in state fleets by 2040.
And actually, there’s no need to fund clean transportation on the backs of the state’s motorists, who would’ve ultimately paid the price for those fuel-industry penalties.
The Baker administration likely will pitch the Legislature to allocate some of that approximately $10 billion coming the state’s way from the recently passed federal infrastructure bill for that cause.
Between that, the unspent $5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money and overflowing state revenue receipts, there should be ample green to fund the commonwealth’s clean-energy goals.