The state of New Mexico is at a crossroads: do we invest in the infrastructure and roads that are in dire need across the state, or do we allow them to continue to erode? While not glamorous, investing in roads pays dividends to the community and state for many years to come. During the economic downturn, New Mexico delayed investments in roads and relied on the federal influx of money to upgrade them. As the national economy has improved, the stimulus money used to fund the federal programs is no longer available. Those federal monies have dried up and it is time for us, as a state, to invest in our own infrastructure. The real question is: how to do that in a responsible manner?

A reasonable increase in the gas and special fuel taxes is a responsible way to fund our roads. It would provide more than 16,000 jobs statewide, with many in our local communities. Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, has proposed such a tax. Pump prices for gasoline are low and projected to stay so for the near future. A modest 10 cent per gallon tax increase would raise substantial revenue for roads. Half of the increase would be allocated for statewide roads and half would be available for county and municipal roads. It should be noted that the majority of the proposed tax will be paid for by out-of-state trucks, which cause the most damage to our roads and highways.

Read more here: http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-opinion/ci_27667023