Taxes are too low in my State

[AzNMpower32]

I've known this for quite awhile, but finally an editorial piece that recognises the problem with keeping the motor fuels tax artificially low in my new home state. The roads are rubbish in the Upstate and I'm getting very tired of rumbling along all the broken roads and picking up nails in my tires.

A recent analysis of a series of national highway safety reports has ranked South Carolina’s highways the most dangerous in the nation. It’s another in a long series of reports and studies that clearly illustrate the need for this state to improve its infrastructure and fix the way that system is maintained, funded and managed.

The analysis by the website carsinsurancecomparison.com ranked states in seven categories. South Carolina’s highest ranking was 33rd for the number of highway bridges rated obsolete or deficient; it’s worst ranking was 46th for its fatality rate according to study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

South Carolina was the only state to rank in the bottom half in each of the seven rankings, and it was ranked well below the next-worst state, Florida.

The condition of South Carolina’s infrastructure is evident in a statement earlier this year by the state’s DOT secretary, Robert St. Onge, who was quoted in The Greenville News as saying, “In a nutshell, what my job is right now given the resources, is to manage the decline of the state highway system.”

[SC's] gasoline tax continues to be among the lowest in the nation and has not been increased in more than two decades despite the state having the fourth-largest network of state-maintained roads in the nation.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20120911/OPINION/309110006/Roads-shouldn-t-worst-U-S-?odyssey=nav|head

Everywhere I've lived, I've done my small part to make small improvements- I've chatted with DOT folks in NC, VA, and SC and gotten things done. Had a long talk with the local SCDOT engineer about the signals at a catastrophic interchange, and both of us agreed that the whole thing needed redesign. Surprise, surprise: "We know this too, we've long wanted a new interchange at the interstate. But we just don't the funding or resources to do anything."

That's why I often buy my fuel across the border, in NC. I don't mind paying more- at least my money's going somewhere where it's making a difference. Not thrown into a bankrupt fund that ain't going anywhere. Given the volume of cars today, $0,04/litre or $0,16/US gallon just doesn't cut it especially when it hasn't been adjusted for 20 years. Roads don't pay for themselves folks.......cheap petrol is nice but long-term it costs everyone.

[Meiac09]

God bless the cheap booze in SC. If only you could buy after sundown...

[UCrewX5]

If you want to compare roads in bad condition, take a drive on up here to Southeast Michigan!!

[LeMansX5]

When Bush was president all Texas roads went A+.
Most(not all) roads in Illinois are now repaved. 4 years ago it was pot-hole hell no matter which road or highway you take.

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

I've known this for quite awhile, but finally an editorial piece that recognises the problem with keeping the motor fuels tax artificially low in my new home state. The roads are rubbish in the Upstate and I'm getting very tired of rumbling along all the broken roads and picking up nails in my tires.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20120911/OPINION/309110006/Roads-shouldn-t-worst-U-S-?odyssey=nav|head

Everywhere I've lived, I've done my small part to make small improvements- I've chatted with DOT folks in NC, VA, and SC and gotten things done. Had a long talk with the local SCDOT engineer about the signals at a catastrophic interchange, and both of us agreed that the whole thing needed redesign. Surprise, surprise: "We know this too, we've long wanted a new interchange at the interstate. But we just don't the funding or resources to do anything."

That's why I often buy my fuel across the border, in NC. I don't mind paying more- at least my money's going somewhere where it's making a difference. Not thrown into a bankrupt fund that ain't going anywhere. Given the volume of cars today, $0,04/litre or $0,16/US gallon just doesn't cut it especially when it hasn't been adjusted for 20 years. Roads don't pay for themselves folks.......cheap petrol is nice but long-term it costs everyone.

You, sir, are a rare bird!

[motordavid]

Not a tax increase or DOT fan, but I tend to agree in general, that the several states' gas tax hasn't kept up with inflation...though I feel the fed tax is really the bugaboo as that hasn't increased in decades. Though some states have jacked up their gas taxes recently to fill in the states' coffers; and, many states let that tax roll into the Gen Fund, vs the DOT/highway funding, so it remains 'goverment at work', imo.

Otoh, gas tax per gallon, (state & Fed) in most states, are ~ 50 cts a gallon currently, with some pushing a buck per gallon, of what one pays. Fwiw, the oil producers and refiners make chump change per gallon, compared to the monies collected via state and fed taxes on a gallon.
There are several states less than SC...

And, not sure how higher state taxes on gas = less nails in the road.
GL, mD

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Not a tax increase or DOT fan, but I tend to agree in general, that the several states' gas tax hasn't kept up with inflation...though I feel the fed tax is really the bugaboo as that hasn't increased in decades.

Otoh, per gallon gas prices, in most states, are ~ 50 cts a gallon currently, with some pushing a buck per gallon, of what one pays. And, there are several states less than SC...

Not sure how higher state taxes on gas = less nails in the road.
GL, mD

We pay some of the highest gasoline prices here in sunny California but I can't say that our roads are exactly well maintained. I agree that increasing taxes does not necessarily increase the services and maintenance of our roads. Here in California, all that tax money seems to be going to entitlements.

Maybe we should do everything like Europe.

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by motordavid

And, not sure how higher state taxes on gas = less nails in the road.
GL, mD

How you seen how much crud is on the road on SC roads and hwys? I rumble along US 25 or US 276 nearly every weekend (about 30-40km of torture in the X3) and just grit my teeth until the NC state line. I've never gotten a flat or nail in any other US state and spending most of my time in VA and NC. Granted VA's roads are falling apart as well, with insufficient funding to expand and repave- another low-tax state.

[Meiac09]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

How you seen how much crud is on the road on SC roads and hwys? I rumble along US 25 or US 276 nearly every weekend (about 30-40km of torture in the X3) and just grit my teeth until the NC state line. I've never gotten a flat or nail in any other US state and spending most of my time in VA and NC. Granted VA's roads are falling apart as well, with insufficient funding to expand and repave- another low-tax state.

The other thing that causes the nails, besides the lack of intelligence that is rampant in those parts, is the lack of state inspection for cars (and the resulting wrecks from cars with no brakes, bad tires, usw.).

If you think roads are bad, please look at US-17 in Mount Pleasant (AND between Charleston and I-95). When you get your wish, and Greenville gets repaved you're in for more traffic and construction nightmares than the Big Dig caused.