On the pro side, it’s been a long time since it was increased last. The sums don’t pay for nearly as much road as they once did, because they haven’t increased with inflation, but the price of paving and building had. Also, better average gas mileage means that cars pay less tax per mile driven than ever. And we’d get some more roads built.
Cons: it’s a dang tax hike, a regressive one, that would make everything shipped by road more expensive and push up inflation rates, too. It would probably completely unwind the benefit of the recent tax cut for the middle class.
Explain why you feel that regressive is a bad thing.
“It would probably completely unwind the benefit of the recent tax cut for the middle class.”
It would cost me about $250 a year (avg $4/week increase).
My problem with a tax like this is that the money probably won’t be used for roads once the Trump Administration ends.
“On the pro side, it’s been a long time since it was increased last. The sums don’t pay for nearly as much road as they once did, because they haven’t increased with inflation, but the price of paving and building had.”
The entire Interstate system was built on a nickle a gallon tax.
Now we pay more than triple that just to fill potholes.
The “inflation” you speak of is just government overpaying pavers and road crews.
Regressive taxes are as “good” as taxes get.
First, defund everything currently funded by fuel taxes that aren’t roads/bridges used by the cars of the folks who pay the taxes. No bike lanes, no bike paths/hiking lanes. No green space, no trains, bus programs, nothing. Move all those monies back into the trust fund to pay for roads and bridges first. Then we can talk tax hike.
“It would probably completely unwind the benefit of the recent tax cut for the middle class.”
Roughly 10% of the tax cut for me ($250 per year more for gas, versus $2500 more per year from the tax cut). But one thing that will wipe out the tax cut for me is tolling...based on the toll rates that I’ve seen where this is going on.