WASHINGTON — Federal gasoline taxes should be increased up to 40 cents per gallon over five years, a divided special commission urged Tuesday in calling for drastic changes to fix aging bridges and roads and reduce traffic deaths.
Calling for immediate action, the congressionally created National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission warned that “applying patches” is no longer acceptable. It said the nation risks tens of thousands of highway casualties each year and millions of dollars lost in economic growth.
Under the proposal, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon would be increased by 5 cents to 8 cents annually for five years and then indexed to inflation afterward to help fix the infrastructure, expand public transit and highways as well as broaden railway and rural access.
The increase is designed to take effect in 2009, after President Bush leaves office.
Possible friendly fire deaths
Three Army soldiers who were gunned down during a three-hour firefight in Iraq’s Salahuddin province last week may have died from friendly fire, military officials said Tuesday. The three 101st Airborne Division soldiers, who were based at Fort Campbell, Ky., were part of an Army company that was attacked by as many as 15 insurgents on Jan. 8 after the soldiers discovered several large caches of explosives.
Florida: Padilla life term possible
A federal judge refused Tuesday to rule out life prison sentences for Jose Padilla and two co- defendants convicted of terrorism conspiracy and material support charges. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke found that enhanced terrorism penalties could be applied, meaning the three face 30 years to life in prison. Padilla, a U.S. citizen, and the other two men were convicted in August of being part of a North American support cell for al-Qaida and other Islamic extremist groups around the world.
Colorado: Sentence in stabbing
A teenager who stabbed his girlfriend’s mother to death was sentenced to 40 years in prison Tuesday. Prosecutors say Linda Damm’s daughter, Tess, told Bryan Grove, 18, to kill her mother. The 52-year-old was stabbed 18 times in February, and her body lay in her car for nearly a month while Tess Damm and her friends used the Lafayette woman’s debit card, authorities say. Tess Damm, now 16, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and is scheduled to go on trial in May.
Massachusetts: More snow
Residents of New England woke Tuesday to more than a foot of snow on the ground in some areas and hazardous roads after a major winter storm that caused power outages, canceled flights and gave thousands of school children a day off.
Virginia: Ban on racy car ornaments
State Del. Lionel Spruill introduced a bill Tuesday to ban displaying replicas of human genitalia on vehicles, calling it a safety issue because it could distract other drivers. He said the idea came from a constituent whose young daughter spotted a large pair of rubber testicles hanging from a trailer hitch and asked her father to explain it.
Lebanon: Bomb targets U.S. car
A bomb hidden on a Beirut highway hit a U.S. Embassy vehicle Tuesday, killing at least three Lebanese bystanders. The car’s Lebanese driver and an American at a nearby school were among five people injured. The U.S. Embassy said it was limiting movement of its personnel as a result of the attack. It also urged Americans in Lebanon to maintain a high level of vigilance, avoid popular gathering spots, and to report suspicious activity to police.
Iraq: Convoy hits, kills children
Five schoolchildren were killed Tuesday after being struck by a car in the convoy of a top judicial official during a chaotic gunbattle with checkpoint guards, police and hospital officials said. The children, ages 6 to 10, were hit by the car during an exchange of gunfire between the official’s security team and Iraqi police who opened fire after the convoy failed to stop at a checkpoint in central Baghdad.
Vatican: Pope cancels appearance
Pope Benedict XVI has canceled his visit to a Rome university after protests by secular professors and students, the Vatican said Tuesday. About 60 of the 4,500 professors at the university had signed a letter to the university rector, opposing the visit. Banners reading “Science is secular” and “No pope” have been strung from university buildings, and students had announced several days of demonstrations this week.
Kenya: Foe is elected speaker
Legislators chose opposition member Kenneth Marende as parliament speaker in a close vote Tuesday, giving a victory to foes of Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki as they prepared for mass protest rallies that raised fears of new violence over last month’s disputed election.
From Herald news services
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