Oklahoma voters took to the polls Tuesday and said no to State Question 723, a proposed gas tax that was intended to fund repairs for state roads and bridges.

The question, which was rejected by more than 87 percent of voters (the largest rejection of a question in state history) would have bumped state gasoline taxes by 5 cents and diesel taxes by 8 cents.

Proponents said the increase was necessary to deal with concerns such as those noted by TRIP, a transportation research group that graded state bridge conditions with an 'F' in August and said 33 percent of the area's bridges were "structurally deficient," the highest percentage in the nation.

After Tuesday's vote, proponents admitted the proposal was, among other things, a victim of bad timing, coinciding with gas-price spikes upward of $3 per gallon. Five years ago, the tax might have fared better, but not with the nation's current dissatisfaction with fuel costs.

Which raises an interesting question. Why does it seem Oklahoma's government always lags a few steps behind the times?

Bridges, roads and highways do not deteriorate over night.

According to TRIP's May 2002 report, 24 percent of Oklahoma's bridges were built in the 1930s, and the average age of the state's bridges is 45 (with most bridges designed to last 40 to 50 years).

The 2002 report also stated: "From 1995 to 2001, the percentage of structurally deficient bridges increased from 32 to 33 percent," while vehicle travel in Oklahoma rose by 31 percent between 1990 and 2000.

Long story short, need for increased bridge and road funding existed long before and will exist long after Tuesday's vote.

Why, then, have Oklahomans been asked to support a fuel-tax increase at a time when fuel costs are skyrocketing as is?

State government should be working proactively to address issues that will be facing Oklahoma 10 years from now, but that is impossible when legislators and lawmakers are twiddling around with concerns that should have been properly addressed 10 years earlier.

Now the onus is on legislators to bite the bullet and find the money for the necessary improvements somewhere else.
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