Even more money for Road Construction
As we all know, road construction has been a constant theme in and around Vermillion and Sioux Falls for the last few years. Now comes news that despite the near-constant construction occurring on the State Highway Systems - another 72 million will be needed to maintain its current levels of effectiveness.
Since the 1930s, South Dakota has dedicated its gas tax money for highways and bridges. The tax, at 22 cents a gallon for regular and 20 cents a gallon for ethanol blends, hasn't been producing an increased revenue stream in recent years, a problem that DOT officials say is caused in part by alternative fuels and motorists' efforts to conserve by driving less and using more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Raising enough to get the $72.3 million for road preservation would take an almost 13-cent increase in the gas tax. Another option would be adding a 4 percent sales tax to the purchase of fuel. Legislators studying the issue weren't leap-frogging over each other last month to endorse either notion. (Argus Leader)
The spending for Road works has been excessive in the past few years, and it's probably long-past time for the governor and legislature to evaluate how the Department of Transportation allocates its funding and who we're giving these contracts to. At the very least, it's probably time to discuss an alternative to sales tax on gas.