From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!ihnp4!ihldt!jhh
Newsgroups: net.politics
Title: Re: gas tax - (nf)
Article-I.D.: ihldt.1162
Posted: Wed Dec  1 16:13:51 1982
Received: Sun Dec  5 15:05:26 1982
References: ihlpb.139

If there is a national interstate highway system, it should be
paid for with a nationwide tax, preferably a usage tax.  Part
of the current problems with road quality are because the
states are currently responsible for maintenance, with
the federal money going for new construction.  Unless the
states can be convinced to maintain a national road system
to some consistent standards, the federal goverment must
take a more active role.  Of course, they must be responsible
for problems caused by raising weight limits for trucks to
levels that destroy the roads in relatively small time.

The problem with any use tax is distributing it equitably.
A gas tax is unfair to those using state and local roads
almost exclusively.  It also deprives the state of the revenue
it should be getting from those users for building and
maintaining state roads.  The federal government could
return a portion of the tax for local usage, but assurances
would have to built in that federal government would not
use this money as a weapon as they currently do.
			John Haller