Our state is currently working on a transportation bill that would take us from number three highest state tax per gallon of gasoline to the number one position by raising the gas tax 11.7 cents per gallon over the next three years bring our total to 49.51 cents per gallon. We currently collect 37.51 cents for every gallon of diesel, gasoline or gasohol sold in the state according to a July 2014 U.S. Energy Information Administration report.
Granted the use of gasoline and petroleum products has gone down over the past few years with increased fuel mileage that is attainable by newer vehicles and less actual driving done by the end consumers, but this state still manages to use 3.2 million gallons plus of gasoline each year. At 37.51 cents per gallon that is a lot of money for state transportation projects.
I am not advocating that we don't need the additional funds especially considering the lower consumption numbers projected for the next several years however low and middle income will be effected significantly by this increase. It will bring about more change in the habits of the driving public and likely spur even less fuel use than projected.
I continue to drive by construction projects (state and local) where there are several people working to a specific project and while some of them are actually working, others are standing around doing absolutely nothing. Projects grind out of periods of years in some cases but do they have to? Who monitors the contractors to ensure that each employee is efficient with the tax paying publics money? I wonder if we are doing everything we can to ensure each dollar spent by the tax payers is being used efficiently.
We will go to Gold Bar today to pickup our trailer. I suspect we will spend the night and come back tomorrow as we have a lot of stuff up there to load up and find a place to put. I will soon donate to the state highway funds in every state I visit.
Hope all is well and thanks for dropping by.
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