Title: Congress Can Fix the Highway Trust Fund Without Raising the Gas Tax | Economic Intelligence | US News
Headings: The Road Not Taken
The Road Not Taken
Congress can fix highway funding without raising the gas tax.
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Content: Congress Can Fix the Highway Trust Fund Without Raising the Gas Tax | Economic Intelligence | US News
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The Road Not Taken
Congress can fix highway funding without raising the gas tax. By Tracy C. Miller, Contributor May 11, 2015
By Tracy C. Miller, Contributor May 11, 2015, at 4:30 p.m.
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States can better handle highway safety policy. ( iStockphoto)
As gas prices have fallen dramatically across the country, congressmen from both sides of the aisle have proposed raising the gas tax to increase funding for America's aging highways and bridges. Maintaining or increasing spending on highways is urgent, given that one-third of the nation's roads may be in poor or mediocre condition while a quarter of its bridges are in need of repair, according to the Federal Highway Administration. To continue to pay its share of highway funding, the federal government has diverted approximately $70 billion from the general fund since 2008. Given huge federal deficits, the federal government cannot afford to continue doing this. But before resorting to raising the tax burden on the American public, Congress should explore ways it can free up more money for highway projects by reforming federal highway policy. [
OPINION: Congress Needs a Long-Term Solution for the Highway Trust Fund ]
More than 20 percent of fuel tax revenue goes toward purposes other than funding highway construction or maintenance. If the Federal Highway Administration spent less on those other purposes, billions more could be freed up for building and maintaining highways.