A story recently posted on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Pennsylvania’s approach to keeping on top of their transportation infrastructure needs. The line that caught my eye comes in the form of the eighth paragraph, and it embodies the attitude that should be championed for honest and responsible dialogue about the gas tax meeting its intended goals. Here is what Brad Mallory, the Corbett administration’s deputy secretary for transportation, said at a panel of transportation leaders from across the country:
We got [the increase to the gas tax] through. It wasn’t easy at all,” he said. “The hard truth is it shouldn’t be easy. If you’re going to raise taxes, it ought to be fiendishly difficult. You ought to have to prove your case … and you better spend the money on what you told people you were going to spend it on.”
No matter what your political leanings are, you should consider this statement. It encourages debate and compromise. Anything worthwhile shouldn’t be easy. The gas tax’s ability to keep US transport infrastructure from crumbling is nearing its end and shying away from increasing the gas tax due to concerns about re-election and political ideals needs to cease.
Check out this link care of the Associated Pennsylvania Contractors and the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association for for a summary of Act 89.