Even though pretty much all car owners are well aware that America’s infrastructure is crumbling, with experts warning that it’s getting ever closer to a breaking point with each passing day, there seems to be no solution in sight for fixing the country’s railroads, bridges and roads.
Fuel Tax Revenues Declining
One of the leading reasons why the U.S. has difficulties maintaining and repairing its infrastructure is the fact that it hasn’t been able to find the money necessary for funding transportation spending. A large portion of federal transportation spending is funded by the federal fuel tax, which has remained unchanged for more than 20 years, creating an enormous funding gap that has been preventing more serious investments in transport infrastructure.
That is why raising the gas tax seems like the most logical thing to do in order to gather more funds for transportation spending, but it’s a solution that doesn’t have much public support, which is why policy makers have been shunning it.
Consumers Not Entirely Opposed to a Tax Hike
However, a new study suggests that there is a way for authorities to gain the public support that is necessary to impose such an unpopular measure without suffering any political consequences.
Researchers with the University of Michigan have released a study that claims that Americans would be willing to accept a higher gas tax if they are assured that the additional revenue generated would be spent on improving the country’s infrastructure and that it would help reduce fuel consumption in the future.
“Our results suggest that if a gasoline tax increase aims to decrease fuel consumption in a revenue-neutral manner or directs the extra revenue toward energy-efficient transportation or road and bridge repairs, then such an increase could be acceptable to the American public,” said Stan Kaplowitz, who authored the paper with Aaron M. McCright.
The authors of the study surveyed a total of 3,000 drivers, and found that people would accept a 51-cents-per-gallon increase in gas tax if any potential extra revenue were to be refunded to all U.S. citizens equally.
What’s more, respondents were generally in favor of an even higher increase, up to 56 cents per gallon, if the extra revenue were to go towards energy-efficient transportation.
Finally, an average gas tax hike of 53 cents per gallon would be acceptable for drivers, if they were to receive guarantees that the generated revenue were used to repair roads and bridges.
“Raising the gas tax is widely considered the most market-friendly solution to reducing fuel consumption, since you’re not restricting people’s choice,” Kaplowitz said.
If American policy makers take their time to take a look at the findings of this study, they may well manage to gain the public support for a gas hike that would help fund future transportation projects that would fix the nation’s aging infrastructure.