Plan Now So Indiana Bridges Gap
9/16/2012
The Journal Gazette
Inconvenienced motorists might disagree, but the bridge projects disrupting traffic in Fort Wayne in recent months are a wonderful thing. They stand as visible reminders of how taxes and fees support commerce, protect residents and enhance quality of life. The worst part is that there aren't more of them. As Indiana's toll road lease proceeds dwindle, gasoline tax revenue declines and federal stimulus support runs out, Hoosiers and their elected officials need to take a serious look at how to pay for transportation and infrastructure. Discussions by lawmakers are an encouraging sign that serious attention is being paid to the approaching cliff. The Joint Study Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Assessment and Solutions, headed by Sen. Thomas Wyss, R-Fort Wayne, heard about the funding challenge from state officials and a transportation consultant earlier this month. By 2016, operating expenses for the state's Department of Transportation and the state money needed as a match for federal projects will exceed the state's highway fund revenue. The upfront money from the Indiana Toll Road lease runs out next year, leaving the state dependent on an outdated tax and fee structure. Revenue generated by per-gallon gasoline taxes is dwindling as Hoosiers turn to more fuel-efficient cars, including hybrids and electric vehicles. It's not a problem unique to Indiana, but it's compounded by the fact that the state has the lowest gasoline tax - 18 cents per gallon - among all its neighboring states. Link
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