Letters to the Editor
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Not all gas taxes are created equal
Trying something like this is completely different at the state level, compared to the federal. The feds maintain a highway trust fund fed by gasoline taxes collected in every state, and typically grant moneys to states on a 90-10 basis or so, for new construction of transportation projects. States add gas taxes generally to fill coffers of specific, dedicated infrastructure projects or for road maintenance. If a state suspends a gas tax the temporal operations may suffer or an interchange may be delayed; if the federal tax is suspended the hole in the trust fund can never be made up, and the federal share of projects already committed is likely to be irretrievably abrogated. Think of braking a car versus shutting off the engine. The state situation is akin to the former. Obama is right to oppose this grandstand play, which was originated by John McCain's campaign. Typical. Too bad Joe Six-Pack seems to fall for these flights of fancy so often.