Governor Wants Higher Taxes for 67-Thousand Miles of Idaho Road Repairs

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Story Published: Jul 21, 2008 at 7:46 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 11:29 PM MST

By Anthony Congi

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IDAHO FALLS - The Governor wants to fix 67-thousand miles of Idaho's road, but he says he has to raise taxes to do it. He adds some of the roads have not been treated in over 15 years.
The governor is the first to admit no time is a good time to raise taxes, but says if we don't do it now, it'll cost even more later.
"If we wait another four or five years trying to find a good time to do that or a right time to do that its going to cost us well into the billions," said Otter.
Funding will come from things like taxing gas and paying higher registrations. According to the state's formula, every extra ten dollars raised for registration will raise $12-million dollars. And for every penny raised on gas tax, it will raise $9-million dollars if the consumption doesn't drop.
During the previous legislation, the governor was told that we didn't need the money for the roads and that our highways aren't that bad. But now the governor is confident he has the proof to show otherwise, and that's why he's travel ling to every district in the state.
The Governor is looking at ways to pay off the quarter billion dollar tax including the possibility of user pay where the more you drive, the more you would pay in taxes. But he's not sure if the state has the technology to do it fairly.
When asked about possibly of lowering gas prices to see more people using gas, Otter replied, "I think lowering it a nickel wouldn't change the dynamic that much when you're talking about 4 dollars and fifteen cents. That's why I have not been a big proponents of John McCain's tax holiday for the 18 a half cents we pay. We're already a billion dollars under-funded in the national trust fund."
The governor is listening to ideas for funding on his six-stop trip.
some of those are toll roads because some roads are used more than others and the possibility of a sales tax for oil changes.
The formal proposal for the public will be given tomorrow afternoon at the Shilo Inn at 4pm.

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