Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Weak bridges may mean higher gas taxes
Across the country bridges and roads have fallen into states of disrepair, Pennsylvania being one of the worst offenders. States like New Jersey and Iowa are throwing around the idea of raising gas taxes since gas prices are so low and the gas tax in NJ hasn't been raised in 20 years.
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I think that raising the gas tax in order to repair bridges is a good idea. It is clear that the state of bridges and roads is terrible in these states, and New Jersey even believes that it is their number one problem. The gas used to fill up cars is useless if the roads and bridges are so bad that no one can drive on them, so it makes perfect sense to raise the gas tax in order to repair these bridges and roads, especially now that the gas prices are low. People who are against this do not see that the bridges and roads cannot fix themselves, and they do not realize that they must pay slightly more for gas if they want the problem solved. Nothing can get done without money, and the easiest way to get that money is through taxes. The low gas prices should help to ease the pain of increased taxation, so I believe that raising the gas tax is a good way to fix the bridges and roads.
ReplyDeleteAmerica's crumbling infrastructure needs to be dealt with more seriously. With so much of it in disrepair and with the national labor-force participation rate at a meager 62.8%, putting people to work fixing dangerous roads and bridges is a simple solution that should be implemented all over the country. The issue of taxation to fund these repairs is slightly more controversial, however. It seems practical to build a tax into the at-the-pump price for gas, especially now, since prices are low and tend to fluctuate. An even more practical solution would be to spend government revenue more wisely, so it is not necessary to raise taxes on a product like gasoline, which everybody must buy, regardless of price. Instead of wasting money on obscure, useless projects, as states across the country are doing regularly, state governments should tighten their budgets and prioritize public infrastructure higher on the list.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Utah Governor Gary Herbert on this issue saying that raising the gas taxes is the most practical way in solving this dangerous issue. Although no one wants to see taxes raised, I think most people would rather pay 10 extra cents on a gallon rather than having bridges abruptly closing and inconveniencing them. The issue has become a danger especially with the amount of cars that are on the road today. I think taxing gas is a good option to resolve this issue and fix the bridges.
ReplyDeleteThe deteriorating bridges and roads are clearly a huge issue in these states. Roads and bridges are being closed for long periods of time and created traffic problems. I think it might be a good idea to raise gas taxes. I think most people would agree that in the end, this is the smartest thing to do. I understand gas station owners' concerns but this seems to be the most reasonable way to get money to fix roads.
ReplyDeleteI think that it makes sense to raise the gas tax. Not only would this promote money to be spent on repairing infrastructure, but the jobs created from having road projects to work on would increase the number of jobs available for construction workers. I can see both sides of the story but I believe that gas was something people were able to pay higher prices before and this would only improve roads and increase job numbers.
ReplyDeleteWith gas prices so low right now, it makes sense that state governments should increase gas taxes to help pay for better infrastructure. I also think that they should prioritize their budget a little better to find other ways to fund infrastructure projects. A combination of taxes and a better budget will ensure that dangerous roads and bridges are fixed, which is essential for citizens and businesses.
ReplyDeletePeople are inevitably going to complain if taxes are raised, but I think it's a good idea in this case. The traffic problems will be much more of an inconvenience than the extra money that must be spent on gas. Since Pennsylvania especially has a problem with its bridges, I would definitely prefer having safer roads than having cheaper gas.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything said in the above comments. As everyone has already mentioned, surely raising taxes on oil prices is going to cause controversy, but at the end of the day, I think it is worth it. Roads and bridges are a necessary part of life, and, with the number of drivers on them today, it is dangerous to leave them in such disrepair. I agree with Nia; I would rather pay a little extra at the gas station in order to drive on safer roads.
ReplyDeleteIt would definitely be worth it to raise gas taxes to be able to drive on safer roads, and may even save Americans money. If there was state funding to fix these pesky potholes, I'm sure a lot less people would be going to auto shops to fix flat tires or alignment problems. Also money to fix bridges would also be safer for everyone. This is definitely the time to do it seeing that gas prices are so low.
ReplyDeleteHigher gas taxes wouldn't be that bad if the oil companies weren't so greedy. If they lowered their prices to counterbalance the higher tax then the effect wouldn't be felt as hard by consumers. As someone who pays for gas, I don't like the idea of prices rising.
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