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gaspayment

This is a fact: Gas taxes go up.

All across the country they go up. Despite what you might think from listening to Washington politicians, they do go up.

This week they go up. And they go up for a variety of reasons. But they go up. For politicians elected to national office to dig “no gas tax hike” holes and hide in them is, to say the least, disingenuous.

In the states where the gas taxes go up this week–there are 8 of them and more coming in the near future–the money raised can help fund transportation infrastructure needs. It is such a wonderful non sequitur that almost all The Hill People who say “no” to a federal gas tax hike agree that we need more funding and also agree that there is no way (sic) to do it.

The gas tax is a user fee. If you use the roads, you pay for them. Through various semantic and political gymnastics, it is better known as a tax. But if the money raised goes back to the roads and bridges we travel, it is a user fee. It was designed that way. You want an Interstate system, so we’ll build it and users pay for it said Ike. The gas tax money taken from you at the pump isn’t spent on foreign aid, incentive payments to farmers to not grow something, bizarre research projects or new bedspreads and drapes for Air Force One. It goes back to that transportation system you use and expect to be in top shape when you do.

Watch the states that will bring in more money from their rising fuel taxes. See where it goes. Let your representatives know that, ‘hey, this is a really good use of the money I pay at the pump.

Surveys have shown over the past few years that road users would pay more if they were sure it was going where it was intended. What’s in the way: they need to trust their politicians first. We’ll be flying on Swine Airlines first.