"Hatred and discontent." That, in the words of one participant, was what it took to get the last fuel tax increase through in 1996 - that and a major flood, plus some bullying by the governor. Whatever one thinks of the struggle to boost transportation funding this session, it's worth remembering the sparring hasn't become physical yet. It's still just a war of words and ideologies. Apparently that wasn't the case in '96, when "actual blood" was reportedly spilled in the Senate majority caucus room following a tense floor vote. On a purely legislative basis, the fight was even more intense that year than this. Nearly a dozen funding bills were considered. They were quickly whittled down to one, which called for a 4-cent gas tax increase, raised vehicle registration fees by 30 percent and generated about $34 million in additional revenue/William L. Spence, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: How much more would you be willing to pay at the pumps to fix Idaho's roads and bridges?