Editorial...Was it the Money?
Delaware County Voters, by 89%, voted against proposal SQ 723 on raising gasoline taxes by a nickel a gallon to improve roads and bridges. We can't believe a nickel a gallon would make any difference when the price of gas is going up and down like a yo-yo.
We have to believe that Okies would like to drive on roads at least as good as our neighboring states have, and all of them have higher gas taxes than we do.
So it must have been something else. Like a general distrust of where the current 17 cents a gallon is going, or what the state legislature does with our tax money, or why doesn't more of our tax money get put in the highway budget to begin with.
Most of our tax money goes for education and health care. So do you think our legislature is going to rob those pockets to pay for better roads? Think again. Some people even think there is a secret bank account for toll road revenue that could be robbed for state highway use. Think again.
True, the tax proposal could not have come up at a worse time, when gasoline prices are bumping $3 a gallon.
But folks, it isn't going to get any better over the long term; our highways and bridges will continue to fall apart, and people will complain as they always do. Next time you run off the road because it didn't have proper edging, or a piece of bridge comes through your windshield, remember voters had a chance to change things.
What a shame.
We have to believe that Okies would like to drive on roads at least as good as our neighboring states have, and all of them have higher gas taxes than we do.
So it must have been something else. Like a general distrust of where the current 17 cents a gallon is going, or what the state legislature does with our tax money, or why doesn't more of our tax money get put in the highway budget to begin with.
Most of our tax money goes for education and health care. So do you think our legislature is going to rob those pockets to pay for better roads? Think again. Some people even think there is a secret bank account for toll road revenue that could be robbed for state highway use. Think again.
True, the tax proposal could not have come up at a worse time, when gasoline prices are bumping $3 a gallon.
But folks, it isn't going to get any better over the long term; our highways and bridges will continue to fall apart, and people will complain as they always do. Next time you run off the road because it didn't have proper edging, or a piece of bridge comes through your windshield, remember voters had a chance to change things.
What a shame.
posted by Editor | 1:39 AM
1 Comments:
The politicians need to get the message the voters are sending:
NO MORE TAXES!
They need to become more financially responsible and earn the trust of their constitutants.
You hit the nail square on the head, there is a massive distrust of the state legislature and how they spend all tax monies.
Of course, Oklahomans would like to drive on better roads but what are the politicians doing with the tax money they presently get?!?
In 1776, our forefathers revolted over the issue of taxes. If the politicians, at both state and national level, fail to understand there is a limit as to how much Americans will pay in taxes, they may find themselves facing another revolution.
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