Bridge Disaster Could Mean Gas-Tax Hike

[Terri]

By JIM ABRAMS
Associated Press
August 8, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Minneapolis bridge disaster that suddenly is the symbol of the nation's crumbling infrastructure could tip the scales in favor of billions of dollars in higher gasoline taxes for repairs coast to coast.

There are 500 bridges around the country similar to the Minneapolis span, and ''these are potential deathtraps,'' says Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, former chairman of the House Transportation Committee.

''We have to, as a Congress, grasp this problem. And yes, I would even suggest, fund this problem with a tax,'' he says. ''May the sky not fall on me.''

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[McGrats]

So what's happened to all the tax monies collected over the years? Spent on pork, earmarks, and on the pandercrats' (in both parties) social programs, that's where.

Just as much of the highway infrastructure needs replacing, so do our congresscritters!

Stewarts of our tax revenues? Right.

Dips are more like it!

[Genea]

Here we go again. How many times our taxes are hiked on gas, etc. to fix our infastructure and where did the money go??? Wherever our government wanted to put it, and it obviously wasn't into the roads, bridges, etc.

So let's contine providing health care and affordable housing to the ILLEGAL immigrants. That money could be better spent on our infastructure. What do you think???

[Amawalk John]

Everything that grabs the public's attention is an excuse for Democrats to demand tax increases.

Every Democrat demand for a tax increase is a reason to vote the Democrats out of office.

[tgclark]

So what else is new, just another excuse to raise taxes, commiecrats are always looking for ways to do that. What about stopping all the pork and putting the money where it should go but that is asking too much. Our government dictatorship wants to break the back of its people and they are doing a fine job of it, time to take up arms and protect ourselves.

[Cynical Pete]

A gas tax hike would mean Congress would get a new bowling alley or a study of the Tetse Fly in lower Africa.
Congress already has stolen $1.9 Trillion from the Social Security Trust Fund and $173 billion os slated to be stolen this year.
If there is a gas tax increase, it has to be closely guarded to be used for building bridges and road maintenance.

[studebaker51]

I once read, somewhere, that government's job was to provide security & infrastructure for America. Well, thanks to the dumb-o-crats, the government provides everything BUT! Our tax dollars are siphoned off for politicians to buy favors & votes.

Of course, with the foxes in charge of the hen house (or goose that lays the golden eggs), they have it made. The only thing politicians can agree upon, is whatever benefits THEM...to he** with the American public....We just pay for all of their foolishness.

[Last straw]

I was a bridge designer for the PA Dept of Highways when Milton Shapp was governor (1960's). The federal government was funding the purchase of Rights of Way and construction of the Interstate system to the tune of 90% with the states providing 10%.
After the construction, the states were to maintain the highways.
Governor Shapp’s administration issued bonds for the state’s share of the construction money and when the bonds were issued, the state’s gasoline tax barely covered the cost of the bonds and the monies issued to the local township and municipalities for maintaining their roads. The gasoline tax was raised.
For years there were troubles with maintenance and snow removal on the Interstates because the Dept of Highways did not have enough money to provide maintenance.
As I recall, when I left in 1968, the bridge inspections were done by political appointees and I have no idea of their qualifications. Many of the inspections were reportedly found to be conducted in restaurant parking lots in the area of inspection using prior inspection reports to complete the information.
THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING IS TO ALLOW A GOVERNMENT TO COLLECT TAXES TO DO IT. SS is a good example – when I was much younger, it was reported that for every $13 collected less than 1$ actually reached those getting SS payments.

[Genea]

I live in Stroudsburg, PA. Gov. Rendell has taken whatever money he gets and puts it into mass transit in Philadelphia and Pittsburg. 80 is a mess, our local roads are falling apart. Forget the local bridges. He wanted to put toll booths on 80 claiming it was for the roads and put that money into Philly & Pitt mass transit. Thank God our reps. finally did something for us. They said put them on I-95 first and let your guys start paying. No tolls are going up as yet and still no work for the roads.

Infastructure and the government taxes do not safe roads and bridges make.

[Terri]

The problem lies with the citizens of each state.

They are not choosing elected officials wisely.

They are not watching to see how the money is spent.

They are not demanding accountability by insisting that infrastructure is maintained before new projects are funded.

And why not? It's not as though they can't see the condition their roads are in.