What is Fuel Revenue Indexing?
As our Southern Nevada community continues to modernize, grow and diversify, the needs of our transportation infrastructure demand more attention. To cover a growing gap in funding, the RTC partnered in 2013 with local leaders, our business community, state legislature, Governor Sandoval and the Clark County Commission to support Fuel Revenue Indexing (FRI) to keep pace with material and labor costs, generate funds for critically needed transportation projects and create jobs.
Fuel Revenue Indexing (FRI) dollars are generated each time a motorist fills up their vehicle with fuel.
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads
Safer Better Roads, Congestion Relief, Jobs, and Accountability
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads – will make our roads safer
Nevada ranks 3rd in the nation for pedestrian fatalities. Question 5 will allow us to repair aging roads, put in traffic lights and stop signs, widen roads and build more sidewalks and bus lanes – making our roads safer for drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and our kids.
- Firefighters, paramedics and other first responders support this initiative as a necessary effort for public safety.
- It is estimated that roadway deficiencies are a contributing factor in approximately one-third of fatal traffic accidents
- Traffic accidents in which roadway deficiencies were a contributing factor cost motorists approximately $193 a year in the Las Vegas urban area.
- Maintaining and repairing our road and highways in a good condition ensures the first level of roadway safety. Potholes, lane rutting, pour markings and visual impediments are all contributing factors.
- Enhancing (and adding) pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes and bus turnouts will also increase roadway safety, especially in and around our schools.
- New (or upgraded) traffic & pedestrian signals will also increase safety around Clark County.
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads – will provide continued Maintenance
Regular maintenance is critical to ensuring against the degradation of our infrastructure assets. Poor roads impose an estimated $365 per year in hidden operating and maintenance costs on Clark County motorists. With regular maintenance:
- Hazards such as potholes and rutting are minimized.
- Striping and Markings ensure delineation of lanes.
- Drainage will be facilitated during storm events.
- Safety and operational issues are mitigated.
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads – will Reduce Congestion
Traffic congestion costs motorists time, fuel, and money.
- Motorists waste 46 hours annually traveling in peak periods.
- Motorists waste 21 gallons of fuel annually during congested travel.
- Motorists waste $960 annually in time and fuel during congested travel.
- First responders are continually delayed.
- Shorter durations promote safer commutes and better efficiencies in saving time & money.
- Greatly reduced air polluting CO2
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads – means Clark County Jobs
Indexing is already creating over 9,000 local jobs. Passing this initiative will maintain those jobs and provide a major boost in the economic activity.
- Creating up to 25,000 additional jobs during construction.
- Keeping the more than 70 local small businesses going that experienced the benefits from the first 3 years of FRI, and will continue to be a priority in the future if Question 5
- Many of the 346 projects identified (and needed) will be funded throughout Clark County.
Yes on 5, Fix Our Roads – means Accountability and Transparency
All proceeds can only be used for roads and highways in Clark County, with full disclosure on public websites and oversight, including annual audits.
- The revenue will be spent solely on road and highway projects in Clark County.
- It is required by law that every approved project, the details and all costs will be listed on the RTC & NDOT websites.
- Annual audits and public updates will provide additional accountability & transparency.
ABOUT
The Nevada Economic Development Coalition (NEDCO) is made up of Southern Nevada business and community leaders dedicated to improving Clark County's economic future by way of implementing an index on existing motor vehicle fuel taxes.
NEDCO was formed to propose a change to the Nevada Revised Statute to allow Clark County to implement fuel tax indexing. Indexing fuel taxes would make adjustments to fuel tax rates annually based upon increases in the Producer Price Index (PPI) to offset only the amount of purchasing power lost due to inflation. It will give fuel taxes an important protection against the rising cost of labor & construction materials during periods of inflation. Washoe County successfully enacted a similar change for their community in 2009.
As the communities of Clark County grow, there will be additional traffic congestion, decreasing air quality, and the need for more road repair and maintenance. Since 1995, Clark County's option fuel tax has stayed the same while both the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) have risen significantly. Federal and state fuel taxes have not been adjusted for more than 15 years and have lost 30% of their purchasing power since 2003 due to inflation. This disconnect has led to a transportation-funding shortfall in Clark County that can be remedied by indexing the fuel tax.