No, you’re not dreaming. You’ve heard this story before.
A transportation industry is willing to pay higher taxes so that the infrastructure it relies on will be easier to maneuver.
In 2014, it was barge owners who said they were willing to pay higher taxes in order that replacement dams and locks would be more speedily completed to allow a smoother flow of goods along the nation’s waterways.
In 2016, it’s the trucking industry which is saying it is willing to pay higher gasoline and diesel taxes to upgrade U.S. highways to reduce traffic congestion.
While we don’t subscribe to the blanket policy of raising taxes for every desire, we believe local, state and federal governments should find a way to allow the trucking industry to pay the extra freight it’s willing to fork over.