Isn't it time that some serious effort is spent on fixing our roads and bridges, before deferred maintenance and outdated bridges lead to a tragedy of major proportions?
Not possible? Just ask the citizens of Minnesota, where the 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35 bridge into the Mississippi River took the lives of 13 people and injured 145.
PBN previously has advocated a temporary increase in the motor fuel tax (it includes both gasoline and taxable diesel fuel) to help fund infrastructure projects. Such a hike would have the double advantage of helping make our roads safer (and our cars last longer), while providing much-needed construction jobs.
A 10 cent hike in the gas tax, dedicated by statute only to highway projects, would yield nearly $43 million per year based on the average gallons purchased in the last five years in Rhode Island. Sunset it if need be, although the state is billions of dollars short of its maintenance needs, so it could be argued that this tax needs to be collected for the long haul.
A second step would be to make sure that the money brought in by the standard motor fuel tax is also dedicated only to road and bridge projects and not put into the general fund to help the state balance its books.
Yes, weaning the rest of the budget off the gas tax would be a challenge, but it would go a long way toward rationalizing the operations of state government. And in combination with the 10 cent additional tax, it has the potential of making Rhode Island a much safer and more robust place to live. •
Really! Adding more taxes to RI residents what surprise.
I’m a “middle class” (and shrinking) 48 year Rhode Islander who cannot afford another tax.
After a while you have to start asking yourself, do I want to continue to live a dominant welfare state?
Do we really think gas will stay under 3.00 for long period of time?
What happens when it goes back to 4.00?
And then 5.00……..
How about cutting spending before raise any more taxes. It’s the only way this state will survive.