Decision time for American motorists

By ROBERT HARDAWAY

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

Although gas prices are lower today in inflation-adjusted dollars than they were a quarter of a century ago, few politicians have resisted the urge to exploit consumer angst about gas prices. Their solution? To impose extra taxes on oil companies that will necessarily be reflected in the price of gas at the pump. The problem with this solution, however, is that these higher gas taxes will simply end up in the bottomless pit of general revenues rather than being earmarked for improvements to America's collapsing infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the American Society of Civil Engineers is reporting that a third of all bridges in America's crumbling urban areas are “structurally deficient.”

The cause of this alarming situation can be traced to the policies enacted by the same politicians who have singled out oil companies for discriminatory taxes.

As urban sprawl spreads its tentacles across the landscape under the incubus of an exploding population, the needs of the older urban infrastructure built during the period 1935-1980 has been neglected in favor of building new infrastructure to accommodate this new urban sprawl. Inner city infrastructure in particular has been left to rot and ruin, since those who continue to live in the inner cities have the least political influence, while the rich and influential continue to demand that available resources be devoted to their more immediate needs in their new land of urban sprawl.

At the same time, these neo-suburbanites resist any increase in gas taxes that would crimp their lifestyle of gas-guzzling Hummers and SUV's.

Lack of courage

For this reason, not a single Republican or Democratic candidate has had the courage to advocate that gas taxes be raised in order to finance desperately needed repairs and improvement to our nation's crumbling infrastructure.

Such a tax would be among the fairest of all taxes. First, it would be imposed only upon those who actually use our nation's highways and bridges. The poor who cannot afford a car would not be taxed at all. While the bulk of gas tax revenues would be earmarked for infrastructure improvements, a portion of the revenues could be earmarked for income tax rebates for lower-income Americans for whom the higher gas taxes would be an undue burden.

But most important, such a tax would reduce America's dependence on foreign oil by reducing demand and encouraging conservation. No longer would Congress need to endlessly debate imposing mileage requirements on domestic auto manufacturers; rather, consumers would vote with their pedals by demanding more gas efficient cars.

Foreign potentates

American policy to date has been to send our gas money to foreign potentates. A gas tax would insure that revenues instead go to rebuild this nation's crumbling roads, rails, and bridges.

Since the politicians don't have the courage to provide for the safety of the American motorist, it's time for the American motorist to take a stand and demand that the politicians do what is best for the country.

X Robert Hardaway is Professor of Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and the author of “Population, Law, and the Environment” (Praeger Press).