Gas tax as roads financer

“I am considering a revision to my view (against) the per gallon gas tax as the principal source of money to build U.S. highways. At their present rate of increase, pump prices are likely to dampen travel demand and also reduce the revenues available to waste on new highways. I’m not sure which is more desirable. Not to mention the pleasure of observing the highway lobby take a stroll around the bend.” So wrote the always stimulating Fred Williams of the Fed Transit Admin’s policy office in an unofficial and personal view on the FHWA’s Con-Pric list. He could be right in at least one respect. ARTBA, the road builder’s lobby is so fixated on fuel taxes as the be-all and end-all of road financing that they are doing their constituents a serious disservice. Both ARTBA and its state road builder affiliates have been working themselves up into a cacophonous frenzy over the odd bill here and there to temporarily lower gas taxes by a couple of cents for the duration of the present price spike, while they are quite silent in the face of quite serious assaults on the tolls of Illinois and New Jersey – efforts by governors to permanently end tolls. There are different views about the longterm viability and efficiency of fuel taxes, but it is surely imprudent to stake the road industry on just one source of revenue? Let’s hear it for tolls, ARTBA.