Increase in gas tax necessary

Published Friday, August 31, 2007

We were glad to learn this week that Gov. Tim Pawlenty now supports a five-cent-per-gallon increase in the state’s gas tax. The increase would be targeted to highway and transportation needs, and has been sorely needed for some time.

The I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis has thrown a bright spotlight on the state’s increasingly battered road system. Few of Minnesota’s highways were designed for the speeds or volume of traffic they are carrying — as attested by the rough condition of many roads and bridges. Although a transportation-dedicated gas tax increase has been suggested many times in recent years, always before it has failed to win legislative approval.

Now, with the transportation crisis laid bare, even the most ardent opponents of increased taxes recognize that more resources need to be dedicated to roads, bridges and transit. The world is increasingly a place where the ability to move about, or to haul huge loads about in trucks, is an essential of doing business. If Minnesota does not keep up with other states, its business opportunities — and economy — will suffer.

If lawmakers gather for a narrowly focused special section this summer, the gas tax ought to be on the agenda. And, if so, a five-cent increase is in order.

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