COLUMN: We should pay more to fix our state's roads
Published: September 2, 2010
Oklahoma must find a solution for its crumbling infrastructure. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the oldest national engineering society in the U.S., 40 percent of Oklahoma’s roads are in “poor or mediocre” condition and 32 percent of bridges are “structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.”
Even more pressing is Oklahoma’s $230 million deficit in state-highway maintenance funds. In a time of economic uncertainty and increased competition for funding, Oklahoma needs a revamped infrastructure to attract interstate business and investment. Unfortunately, Oklahoma may need to look south of the Red River to find a solution.
Crossing into Texas on Interstate 35, the superiority of its infrastructure is immediately recognizable. Unlike Oklahoma’s patchwork roads, Texas highways are smooth and level. They fund this in a number of ways, but the two largest are taxation and toll ways.
Oklahomans pay 16 cents per gallon tax on gasoline and 13 cents per gallon on diesel, where Texans pays 20 cents per gallon on both. Texas also appropriates 1 percent of gross fuel sales to its state transportation fund to cover administrative costs. Although this seems like a small discrepancy, when levied on the millions of gallons of fuel sold annually in the state, Oklahoma would see a sharp increase in revenue.
Another route is to create more toll roads in congested areas like Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Rather than rely on federal and state funding for maintenance, Oklahomans could choose to pay extra to save commuting time.
These two options may make driving more expensive within the state, but allowing roads, bridges and waterways to deteriorate drives out investment. Without sturdy transportation routes, large corporations have little incentive to build their products here.
Also, drivers could recoup the losses imposed by higher taxes by having shorter commute times, less idling in traffic jams and lower car maintenance incurred from bumping along uneven roads.
The Oklahoma legislature will have to work together in order to initiate needed taxes and tolls. Although raising taxes is not politically viable, our leadership must look past the next election cycle and toward a durable future.
Comments
DeeinOK 1 year, 5 months ago
Mr. Cook, I like your observations here.
Taxes, increased millage rates, tolls, etc.--they are all so taboo that often the voters cut off their noses to spite their faces in the long run.
Economic development in traditionally depressed communities can only occur when the infrastructure is appealing to the potential businesses. That infrastructure includes roads, access, bridges, etc. It's a catch 22 in most red states because typically taxes are frowned up in all circumstances. Most seasoned economic professionals will be quick to point out that they (the red state cities and towns) usually have among the highest millage rates in the nation. One big contributing factor is the population--less people to bear the burden of operations. One other factor is the failure of the chamber of commerce, elected officials, city mgrs., etc. to attract businesses that will alleviate or off set some of that tax burden. It's a tough sell. And let's face it, what are the industries that are willing to settle for a sparse and uneducated work force? They are usually ones that aren't that appealing politically...no one wants an obscure chemical plant in their backyard or a trash-burning power plant, etc.
The road to progress has to start somewhere so, elected officials need to sell the economic development package to the community first. It is imperative that the financial benefits are completely flushed out to demonstrate in layman's terms how their tax dollars will equate to significant tax savings over time. If they don't do that successfully, the road to economic growth is a bumpy one. ;)
Again, great opinion piece!
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