Higher Taxes Sought To Fix Roads Panel Seeks Opinions On How To Raise Needed $4.1 Billion

Idaho needs $4.1 billion for road and bridge repairs, but doesn’t know where the money will come from to fix them all.

A 16-member legislative committee is touring the state collecting testimony on how to rectify the growing backlog of crumbling highways.

The committee will be in Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint next week presenting proposals to raise the gasoline tax or vehicle registration fees.

As much as a 6 cent tax increase or 124 percent increase in registration fees is under consideration. Either would raise $37.8 million in one year.

According to a statewide assessment of road conditions, about 42 percent of state highways and 73 percent of county roads are in poor condition.

Although Idaho now has a 21-cent per gallon gasoline tax to pay for road improvements, that tax has only 73 percent of the purchasing power that the original 8.5 cents per gallon tax had in 1978.

And while more cars are driving more miles on Idaho roads and burning more gas, improvements in fuel efficiency have hurt the state’s ability to collect enough revenues to keep up with repairs.

The committee will meet from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Edgewater Inn, 56 Bridge St., in Sandpoint Tuesday, and from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Idaho Transportation Department office, 605 Prairie Ave., in Coeur d’Alene also on Tuesday.

The meetings will begin with a half-hour presentation by the Department of Transportation on the problem, and various scenarios for raising taxes or fees.

, DataTimes