Highway panel faces roadblock
Posted: Tuesday, August 05, 2008
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A Northern State University political science professor says it might be impossible to convince South Dakotans that a tax increase is needed in order to find money for road work.
"South Dakota, more than some states nationally, has a strong resistance to tax changes," said Ken Blanchard.
This summer, a legislative panel is looking for ways to finance future road work. The committee plans to meet in late September to consider options.
Blanchard said many South Dakotans think the state has plenty of money even though "it is consistently starved for revenue. In that environment, trying to convince people that we really do have a problem, it's tough."
Gas taxes are not keeping up with state and national highway needs. State DOT officials say they're in a preservation mode and predict South Dakota's generally good roads will deteriorate.
Republican state Rep. Shantel Krebs, a member of the legislative study panel, experienced the tax aversion Blanchard described.
She talked recently about the panel possibly looking at a tax on vehicle miles traveled, an idea being discussed in several states after a pilot project in Oregon.
Krebs said it's one of many options the state could consider and that the committee must look at ways to cut spending and make sure available fuel-tax money is targeted directly to road work.
"A lot of people thought I was advocating the vehicle mile tax, which I wasn't," Krebs said Friday. "I was saying that we need to look at everything, revenue and spending."
Sen. Cooper Garnos, R-Presho, chairman of the study committee, said that if panel members are reluctant to talk openly about any proposal, "I'll have failed my job as chairman. ... This committee needs to be open to any idea, whether it's a vehicle miles tax, raising the gas tax or cutting programs."
The South Dakota constitution requires a two-thirds vote in each house to pass a new tax or a tax increase. The only other way to create a new tax is by a vote of the people.
"South Dakota, more than some states nationally, has a strong resistance to tax changes," said Ken Blanchard.
This summer, a legislative panel is looking for ways to finance future road work. The committee plans to meet in late September to consider options.
Blanchard said many South Dakotans think the state has plenty of money even though "it is consistently starved for revenue. In that environment, trying to convince people that we really do have a problem, it's tough."
Gas taxes are not keeping up with state and national highway needs. State DOT officials say they're in a preservation mode and predict South Dakota's generally good roads will deteriorate.
Republican state Rep. Shantel Krebs, a member of the legislative study panel, experienced the tax aversion Blanchard described.
She talked recently about the panel possibly looking at a tax on vehicle miles traveled, an idea being discussed in several states after a pilot project in Oregon.
Krebs said it's one of many options the state could consider and that the committee must look at ways to cut spending and make sure available fuel-tax money is targeted directly to road work.
"A lot of people thought I was advocating the vehicle mile tax, which I wasn't," Krebs said Friday. "I was saying that we need to look at everything, revenue and spending."
Sen. Cooper Garnos, R-Presho, chairman of the study committee, said that if panel members are reluctant to talk openly about any proposal, "I'll have failed my job as chairman. ... This committee needs to be open to any idea, whether it's a vehicle miles tax, raising the gas tax or cutting programs."
The South Dakota constitution requires a two-thirds vote in each house to pass a new tax or a tax increase. The only other way to create a new tax is by a vote of the people.
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