Winter, also known as pothole season, is here and roads remain beleaguered. Fortunately, many states throughout the nation and both ends of the political spectrum are considering gas taxes increases as viable options to fund infrastructure.
According to a recent report by TRIP, the average American driver spends $523 in extra vehicle operation and maintenance annually, as bumpy and unpaved roads wear on vehicles. With nearly one-third of the nation’s major city roads in substandard or poor condition, several states across the country are realizing cost of underinvestment and discussing funding plans.
Oklahoma, Alabama, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and more are discussing gas tax increases and other options to fund their fragmented transportation network. The diversity of state parties considering gas tax increases speaks to the bipartisan nature of infrastructure funding. As Carl Davis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said, “there’s really no such thing as a Republican pothole or a Democratic bridge. It’s an issue that brings the parties together.” Hopefully state gas tax activity will motivate the federal government to work together and consider the best method for funding infrastructure at the federal level.