One newsletter I did not delete as I have been doing for the past few weeks was the one from Indiana Capital Chronicle containing Strategic legislative revisions aid renewed Indiana drive for tolling.
Let me say that here I am a conservative, Indiana has not had toll roads and I saw no reason for changing. The article pointed out something I had not thought of back in the day when I first thought of toll roads:
Fuel taxes produce more than 82% of Indiana’s transportation infrastructure dollars. But Indiana is just 140 miles wide on average, so those who drive through without filling up don’t pay in.
And uptake of fuel-efficient and electric vehicles is expected to cost the state millions, jeopardizing maintenance and expansion plans for vast stretches of crumbling asphalt and concrete.
And the other choice?
A 10-cent fuel tax hike, accompanied by six years worth of inflation-indexed increases capped to a penny each, did go into effect. In 2023, his last year in office, Holcomb authorized a three-year extension.
It’s just a stop-gap.
“The public has made it very clear nobody wants to pay more for anything right now,” Build Indiana Council Executive Director Brian Gould said. But, he added, “If we continue to look at the model that we operate under right now, we likely would have been talking about a 30-cent gas tax increase this year.”
“So, in order to keep that off the table and keep the plan solvent, you’ve got to look at other funding mechanisms that are out there,” continued Gould, whose industry group seeks sustained funding for Indiana roads and bridges.
And then another, if the future belongs to electric cars, then where will the funds come for Indiana roads?
Which brings to mind another question, what about light rail (the return of the interurban)?
sch 5/21
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