The federal gas tax, which pays for a hefty share of road construction, is due to expire next month and already there is talk about a knock-down, drag-out congressional fight over whether to reauthorize it.
Enough already.
First it was the wrenching debt ceiling debate. Then it was the deadlock over Federal Aviation Administration funding.
This stretch of political drama could very well go down in history as the showdown era. And while it may serve the political goals of a handful of lawmakers to hold these decisions hostage, it surely isn’t good for the country.
The gas tax extension needs to be approved before it expires Sept. 30. A failure to do so would cost the country $100 million a day in lost revenue. There is simply too much at stake.
This money pays for road projects employing thousands of construction workers. Cutting off funding would mean lost jobs, and it would interrupt much-needed road projects.
As it stands, the amount of work being done on the nation’s overburdened and deteriorating transportation system is inadequate.
It’s no secret this nation has a transportation infrastructure crisis brewing, one that will require investments of billions of dollars annually — above and beyond what the gas tax brings in — to be able to compete in the global economy.
Letting the gas tax lapse, even for a short time, would be irresponsible.
To be clear, we do not think the gas tax is perfect — far from it. During the last several years, we have called upon lawmakers to look at ways of changing the model for collecting such taxes.
Instead of levying a set amount per gallon — the federal gas tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents since 1993, and the state tax at 22 cents since 1992 — we think policy makers should give serious consideration to moving toward a system based on vehicle miles traveled.
As cars get more miles to the gallon, their owners pay less in gas taxes while those vehicles can exact just as much or more wear and tear on roads.
Given the new fuel efficiency standards the Obama administration recently negotiated with the auto industry, that situation is only going to get worse.
This has been apparent for quite some time, but there has not been the political will to address either the system or the tax rate at the federal level.
It’s pretty doubtful that would happen by Sept. 30. However, a temporary extension, so lawmakers can keep trying to come up with a broader solution, should not be in doubt.
Apparently, it is.
Some, including anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, are making noise about letting the tax lapse or phasing it out.
There is room for improvement on the gas tax. However, letting it lapse without an alternative would be an ill-considered move with serious consequences for the nation’s infrastructure and its economy.
