Your Opinion: Reject transportation tax

Dear Editor:

Sen. Kehoe correctly stated the transportation sales tax is a complex issue. Our vote should not be based solely on information from highly vested interests.

This is a transportation tax, not a highway tax. The proposal was conceived by St. Louis interests led by Bill McKenna, recent St. Louis senator. St. Louis needs state funding for mass transit. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission can direct much, if not most, of the funds for mass transit. In recent years they have yielded to St. Louis pressure. Even Jefferson City is considering ways to use these funds for mass transit. Mass transit is a local issue and should not be funded by local taxes.

Trucking interests have a huge stake resulting in protection from any fuel tax increase. The proposal should have included a diesel fuel tax with a provision for increases in the future.

Mid-Missouri focus should be on the percentage of the funds to be spent on highways locally, not a list of projects. The 1992 plan was based on distributing funds on the basis of where motorists drive, not where they live. St. Louis objected and forced a major change in distribution of funds. Mid-Missouri's portion dropped dramatically and the region lost over $500 million that would have made all of U.S. 50, U.S. 63 and U.S. 54 dual lanes. Those projects would have been an economic boom for this area.

Don't focus on project lists. Always follow the money trail. Future Highway and Transportation commissioners may have different priorities on projects.

The proposed additional lanes to I-70 across the state is an example of the impact of vested interests. Large contractors and consulting engineers from St. Louis and Kansas City would receive a huge benefit.

The traffic on I-70 has decreased over 10 percent and the pavement is in good condition. There is half the traffic in Mid-Missouri that would warrant six lanes. Is a billion dollar cost and the heavy congestion to local commuters resulting from construction worth the luxury of additional lanes?

In fairness to taxpayers, funding for mass transit and projects such as bicycle paths should be a separate tax proposal. Taxes for highway purposes should be user-based so truckers that cause most of the highway damage pay their fair share. My state representative Caleb Jones got it right when he voted against this transportation tax.

There is a better solution than more taxes.

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Editor's note: The deadline for timely publication of comments related to Aug. 5 ballot issues has passed. The final batch of letters already received on these topics will be published through Monday. Feel free to leave online comments on our News Tribune editorials (labeled "Our Opinion") related to these and other issues.