The Wrong Way to Pay for Our Roads and Bridges

We need to raise the gas tax, but that’s not the long-term solution for our transportation needs. It’s time for an honest conversation with the public.

Elected officials at all levels of government should be having a serious conversation with the public about how we should fund transportation projects over the long term. This discussion should include explaining why the gas tax has become unsustainable as a funding source and why it should eventually be replaced by some form of distance-based user-fee system. Shifting the burden to taxpayers who don’t drive or to future generations by borrowing the money is inherently unfair and poor public policy.

It’s hard to overstate the need for educating the public. One of the other findings of the Indiana University study was that most Americans have little knowledge of how road projects are funded. To change this, our governments must initiate an honest dialog with citizens on the importance of our transportation system and how best to pay for it.

by Noel Popwell

Full Story: http://www.governing.com/gov-institute/voices/col-transportation-finance-gas-tax-mileage-based-fees.html