Title: Why We Still Can’t Afford to Fix America’s Broken Infrastructure | FiveThirtyEight
Headings: Why We Still Can’t Afford to Fix America’s Broken Infrastructure
Why We Still Can’t Afford to Fix America’s Broken Infrastructure
Content: The HTF’s revenues from the gas tax are falling for the same reason gas taxes at the state and local level are falling: People are driving less and, when they do drive they’re using more fuel-efficient vehicles. Raising the federal gas tax is a non-starter, and Congress can’t agree on whether to make up the shortfall, as it has in recent years. Without that funding, and with state debt levels still high, we won’t see very many new bridges any time soon. CORRECTION (June 3, 12:25 p.m.): An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that no state was expected to tap its rainy day fund. In fact, states may tap their rainy day funds — both West Virginia and Michigan already have this year — but no state is expected to see its total general and reserve funds fall below zero.